Þráinn Hjálmarsson, composer
Barokkbandið Brák received rave reviews in Gramophone for their debut album "Two Sides" released by the label Sono Luminus last September.
This autumn, I've been writing four texts on contemporary music for the radio show Víðsjá at The National Radio Broadcast in Iceland.
The topics addressed in the texts are on Louise Devenish's and Cat Hope's The New Virtuosity Manifesto, the use of machine learning in contemporary music, post-notational practice and on curitorial practise within the field of classical and contempoary music.
The text are in Icelandic and available on this website under "texts".
Sunday September 25th 2022 at 8 PM - Harpist Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir and percussionist Matthias Engler will perform at a concert in Hafnarborg, as part of the concert series Phonemes.
The concert is titled Ernste musik and includes the premiere of the work Oddball by Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir, in good company with works by composers such as Luciano Azzigotti, Matthias Kaul, Gérard Grisey og Simon Steen-Andersen and Oliver Thurley.
Available for streaming until 15th of October 2022. - Yle's (Finnish national radio broadcast) recording of Hanna Hohti's SEIDR project at Helsinki Festival from last August at Kalliosali.
Music by composers Tine Surel Lange, Jesper Nordin, Perttu Haapanen, Josefine Opsahl and the premiere of the work Equivocal.
On electronics: Anders Pohjola.
Stream here
Barokkbandið Brák has just released their debut album, Two sides,which is compact with music from the baroque period and new Icelandic contemporary music. There amongst is the string quartet Recitar cantando / Speaking in song performed marvellously by members of the ensemble.
Congratulations to everybody involved!
The album is available for streaming on every streaming platform.
Released by label Sono Luminus and distributed by Naxos.
More on the album here
Violist Hanna Hohti premiers the work "Equivocal" for viola and playback at Helsinki Festival next Saturday, 27th of August at Kalliosali
This is a remarkable project by Hanna and I'm looking forward to see and listen (and of course visit Helsinki).
Congratulation Hanna on this project!
Further on the project at the website of
Belate summer greetings! (those situated in the north hemisphere). As has become the annual tradition since 2018, I've made a playlist with music to accompany you during this season and this year's list is suited for the late summer days that are soon to come.
LINK to SPOTIFY
Beside heartwarming opening and closening tracks, this year's playlist goes back to my musical roots; noise-music (believe it or not).
Music by Hans Otte, Petra Strahovnik, John Croft, Scott McLaughlin, Bethany Young, Maggi Payne, Laetitia Sonami, Merzbow, Lawrence English, Aaron Dilloway, Lucrecia Dalt and Walter Zimmermann.
Enjoy!
A recording from the premiere of the work Recitar cantando / Speaking in Song made by the National Radio broadcast is available for streaming until the 24th of May 2022 - Listen here
The premiere took place at Harpa concert hall on 13th of May 2022. Performed by members of Barokkbandið Brák; violinists Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir and Sólveig Steinþórsdóttir, violist Anna Hugadóttir and cellist Guðný Jónasdóttir.
The work is written with support from Artists' Salary Fund in Iceland.
Sunday 24th of April 2022 at Hafnarborg - The concert Intellectible shapes as part of the concert series Phonemes with Ragnar Árni Ólafsson, guitarist and composer, and the music ensemble Skerpla.
The programme features works which are created in dialogue with artificial intelligence, both in the works of Ragnar Árni Ólafsson and Jennifer Walshe. In the works, the listener encounters questions about the artwork itself and its state, as well as the voice of the author.
The concert series Phonemes at Hafnarborg was nominated as the music festival of the year of 2021 at the Iceland Music Awards!
We would like to thank all the performers, composers and listeneres that have supported the concert series from the beginning in 2013!
We would like to especially thank our collaborators in 2021; Elektra Ensemble and Sequences - Real time Art festival.
In October, during the Sequences - Real time Art festival, violist Julia Eckhardt and contrabss clarinetist John McCowen gave brilliant performances of their own works in addition that Eckhardt gave an Icelandic premiere of Éliane Radigue's OCCAM IV.
In November, Elektra Ensemble gave a brilliant performance of four works by Icelandic composers, there amongst three premieres of the works of Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson and Jesper Pedersen as well of the collaborative work by Áslaug Magnúsdóttir, Mia Ghabarou & Selma Reynisdóttir.
Sunday 13th of March 2022 at Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre at 4pm.
Members of Barokkbandið Brák; violinists Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir and Sólveig Steinþórsdóttir, violist Anna Hugadóttir and cellist Guðný Jónasdóttir, premiered the string quartet Recitar cantando / Speaking in song in concert Sunday 13th of March.
The work seeks inspiration in the words of Caccini (1551-1618) from his book "Nuove Musiche" from 1602:
"...music is nothing other than speech, then rhythm, and lastly sound...“
The work is included on their their upcoming debut album, 'Two sides', to be released in August.
The score is available for purchase at Bandcamp.
This work was funded by Iceland Artists' Salary fund in 2020.
Sunday November 21st at 8 p.m.,
Elektra Ensemble will give a concert at Hafnarborg, as part of the concert series Phonemes, series dedicated to contemporary music.
In the programme, three new pieces will be premiered which were composed specifically for the ensemble. One of them being a collaborative work by Áslaug Magnúsdóttir, Mia Ghabarou and Selma Reynisdóttir, Din larmande loneliness is like smerte i mit hjerte, specially created for the concert and inspired by sculptures and lovelessness, with no beginning and no end.
New works will also be premiered by Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson and Jesper Pedersen, as well as a newly composed piece by Sóley Stefánsdóttir.
ELEKTRA ENSEMBLE for this concert:
Emilía Rós Sigfúsdóttir, flute
Helga Björg Arnardóttir, clarinet
Geirþrúður Ása Guðjónsdóttir, violin
Margrét Árnadóttir, cello
Eva Þyri Hilmarsdóttir, piano
The event is supported by Tónlistarsjóður.
Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir and I curated this tenth version of 'Sequences - Real Time art'-visual art biennal that took place 15th-24th of October.
The festival included multiple exhibitions at venues such as The Living Art Museum, Kling & Bang, ELKO Grandi, OPEN, FLÆÐI and Billboards in Reykjavík, cinema screenings at Bíó Paradís, 24 hour film screening at Tjarnarbíó, multiple performances, book releases, music releases and educational projects and many more.
We are grateful for the collaboration with all the wonderful participating artists, venues and supporters!
Festival manager Helga Björg Kjerúlf managed to catch some of the magical moments that occurred during the festival on video that can be seen above.
Thank you for the collaboration:
ARTISTS
Agnes Ársælsdóttir, Andreas Brunner, Anna Margrét Ólafsdóttir, Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, Bára Bjarnadóttir, Berglind María Tómasdóttir, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Björk Guðnadóttir, Borgar Magnason, Dagur Hjartarson, Darren Mark, Dodda Maggý, Dýrfinna Benita Basalan, Éliane Radigue, Elísabet Kristín Jökulsdóttir, Erik DeLuca, Freyja Reynisdóttir, Guðlaug Mía Eyþórsdóttir, Gunnar Jónsson, Gunnhildur Hauksdóttir, Helena Jónsdóttir, Ida Juhl, John McCowen, Julia Eckhardt, Lucky 3, Matthías Rúnar Sigurðsson, Melanie Ubaldo, Miles Greenberg, Pétur Magnússon, Ragnar Helgi Olafsson, RASK collective, Sæmundur Þór Helgason, Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson, Sigurður Guðmundsson, Skerpla, Skólahljómsveit Austurbæjar, Sóley Sigurjónsdóttir, Nemendur í 6. bekk í Fellaskóla, Svanhildur H. Haraldsdóttir, Nýlókórinn/Íslenski hljóðljóðakórinn, Tunglið forlag, Vala Sigþrúðar Jónsdóttir.
VENUES
OPEN, FLÆÐI, Post-húsið, Bíó Paradís, Tjarnarbíó, Gallerí Úthverfa, Kaktus, Skaftfell, Herðubreið, Listasafnið á Akureyri, Listaháskóli Íslands, University of Iceland, National Archives, Billboard Buzz, Hafnarborg, Seltjarnarnesbær & Luna Flórens.
SUPPORTERS
Reykjavíkurborg, Myndlistarsjóður, Safnaráð, Tónlistarsjóður, Menntamálaráðuneytið, RANNÍS, Íslandsstofa & Nordisk kulturkontak.
SEQUENCES ART FESTIVAL TEAM
Thoranna Bjornsdottir (co-curator), Helga Björg Kjerúlf (Festival director), Eyja Orradóttir, Sunna Axels, Kamilija Teklė Čižaitė, Nýlistasafnið, Sunna Ástþórsdóttir, Sigthora Odins, Birkir Karlsson, Þorsteinn Eyfjörð, Dorothea Olesen Halldorsdóttir, Una Björg Magnúsdóttir, Logi Leó Gunnarsson, Steinunn Marta Önnudóttir, Icelandic Art Center, Auður Jörundsdóttir, Galadriel Gonzalez, Camilla Holm Rautenberg, Weronika Gołaś.
Sunday 17th of October at 8 pm at Hafnarborg. Violist
Julia Eckhardt and John McCowen, composer and performer, offer an evening of solo music which invites us to experience the broad spectrum of listening.
Julia Eckhard performs Éliane Radigue’s OCCAM IV, a work which is written especially for her. Radigues work unfolds an intensity that is at once subtle and monumental, where vibrant life thrives beneath the still surface of the sounds.
Julia will as well perform her own work Mother Viola (Study #1) where the music and the listening shift between language and sound.
In his solo work, Models of Duration, John McCowen extends the soundscape of his instrument and exposes what it seems to be as a microscopic life that thrives within the sounds.
Monday 18th of October 2021 at 12 at IUA
In relation to Julia Eckhardt's visit, she lectured on the music and collaboration with composer Eliané Radigue at the Music Department of Iceland University of the Arts
The concert is a collaborative effort of Phonemes – concert series at Hafnarborg and Sequences Real Time art festival.
The event is supported by Tónlistarsjóður and the French Embassy in Iceland.
Photo: 'This passes by' by Elísabet K. Jökulsdóttir in collaboration with sculptor Matthías Rúnar Sigurðsson.
About Sequences X - Time Has come
Time Has Come is the title for the tenth Sequences art biennale, held between 15-24 October 2021. The title is a reference to the ephemeral social space which the festival makes for itself each time.
This year’s festival includes diverse artists’ dialogue, with their environment, history or other artists. Dialogue is by nature defined by the moment and context. It consciously and subconsciously includes the zeitgeist and prevailing ideas of the society at any given time. Where ideas within societies are dynamic and subject to change, like societies themselves, we get an opportunity to read the flow of time and the development of various social ideas. By stirring the accepted conventions in a society, we can stir up the time.
This year, the festival boasts a diverse group of artists who are all generous with their time, ideas and creative energy. They are able to drive projects and create a platform for dialogue and participation. This often resolves in artwork that include direct communication between the artist and a certain space or environment, and the connection to the audience created by the work. The dialogue between artist and receiver can then become an artwork in itself, it assumes a form that lives inscrutably in the mind of the receiver. The result is an artwork that communicates humane behaviour and ideas of the human condition and freedom.
Honorary artist of Sequences X - Elísabet Jökulsdóttir
The honorary artist of Sequences X – Time Has Come is Elísabet Kristín Jökulsdóttir. Elísabet has the ability to weave threads between various forms of art and she uses her artistic voice to tell it like it is but also to remind us of the magic.
Elísabet’s possesses the language of the goddess and she appears to us in different images, creating and destroying in turn, she on the inside and the outside and dances on the line between. In her work, Elísabet is analytical of her own self and the nation’s and she deals with the Utopian role of art as a shifting force in society. Her strength lies in the dynamic and diverse relationship she has with her viewers and listeners, where she herself is like a public work of art, constantly stirring the ideas of the society and thus stirring time and participating in the endless recreation of the world.
“The genesis of various religions do not normally state that a world is being created for the first time. […] But while nothing else is stated, we can imagine that the world is being recreated instead of created anew. Maybe the world had been created and destroyed so often that it was considered appropriate to write it down, and it wasn’t worth their while saying: “For the hundredth time, there was darkness …” – Elísabet Kristín Jökulsdóttir
This wonderful diagram of how Thranophones and Halldorophones work can be found in a paper by Alice Eldridge, Chris Kiefer, Dan Overholt and Halldor A Ulfarsson.
Published in relation to NIME 2021 (New Interfaces for Musical Expression) conference earlier this summer.
The two instruments have finally been mapped out as "Self-resonating Vibrotactile Feedback Instruments".
Dive into the read here.
21st of June is "the longest day of the year" in the northern hemisphere, where daylength in Iceland is 21 hours and 6 minutes.
Here is a playlist for the bright summer night. It includes music by Anaïs Maviel, Frank Denyer, Bunita Marcus, Rhodri Davies, Gertrude Stein, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and John McCowen.
Enjoy!
Recording session with the wonderful CAPUT ensemble, conducted by Guðni Franzson..Recording the work Immaterial / Fleeting which will be featured on the upcoming album.
CAPUT ensemble plays a large role on the upcoming album, where the ensemble performs two of the works on the album.
A still from from a recording session with Iceland Symphony Orchestra at Harpa concert hall. The orchestral work Perpendicular / Slightly tilted, conducted by Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason, recorded by The National Radio Broadcast.
I'm looking forward to share the outcome in the future, but at this stage, I want to express gratitude and appreciation for these pillars of Icelandic music life! RÚV and ISO. Thank you!
The Music department of Iceland University of the Arts publishes annually the webzine Þræðir (e. Threads), which contains diverse set of articles, written mostly in Icelandic, on music.
In the 6th and latest publication. You'll find my article on the exhibition an Urban Archive as an English Garden by composer David Brynjar Franzson, which I curated for Hafnarborg last autumn. The article gives an insight to the perspective of the exhibition and includes video and sound examples.
Google translate is getting way better in translating this micro-language to English. So I do hope you can enjoy!
A link to the article
Barokkbandið Brák is currently finishing recording their new double CD debut that will be released this autumn.
Violinists Laufey Jensdóttir and Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir, violist Þóra Margrét Sveinsdóttir and cellist Steinunn Arnbjörg Stefánsdóttir have just finished recording the string quartet Stile cantando / Speaking in song, with tonemeister Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir. Magnificent performance!
I look forward to hear the whole double album this fall!
Due to COVID restrictions, the planned concert of Barokkbandið Brák on 28th of March 2021 at Harpa Concert Hall has been cancelled.
But fortunately the ensemble is able to carry on with their ambitious recording project starting next week, of a brand new double CD, that will encapsulate their diverse practice of mixing contemporary classical with historically informed performance practice of Baroque music.
My latest work, "Recitar cantando / Speaking in song", for a string quartet, will be featured on their double CD.
The score of the work is available for sale as a PDF at Bandcamp
You can support the project here: https://www.karolinafund.com/project/view/3240
The commission was supported by Iceland Artists' Salary fund - Listamannalaun
The film 'Relief' by Sigurður Guðjónsson is featured at the French/Icelandic film festival "Le Voyage d'Hiver". Curated by Gustav Geir Bollason & Þorbjörg Jónsdóttir.
'Relief' was a part of a collaborative project made with Guðjónsson and the Icelandic flute ensemble in 2015. It features the composition 'Grisaille' that later released on my debut album.
All the films of the festival are available free online for streaming.
This last autumn has been really giving and inspiring, while starting this marvellous collaboration with Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir on the upcoming Sequences Art Festival, along with all the great people involved in the festival.
We are happy to announce that author and poet Elísabet Kristín Jökulsdóttir will be the Honorary Artist of this year's festival.
Available through Bancamp. Perpendicular / Slightly tilted for orchestra is available as a PDF via bandcamp.
Curator’s text for the exhibition “an Urban Archive as an English Garden” by David Brynjar Franzson at Hafnarborg - 29th of August 2020 - 25th of October 2020. Held in relation to the concert series Phonemes at Hafnarborg.
An Urban Archive as an English Garden
Polish-American philosopher and scientist Alfred Korzybski made the following observation about human perception: “The map is not the territory.”[1] By establishing a differentiation between objects and their perceived appearance in this way, archetypes can never be fully grasped, as interpretation always plays a part in our perception of things. Belgian artist René Magritte’s ideas are interesting in this context, namely that “perception always intercedes between reality and ourselves”, as Ann Marie Barry words it.[2] The same object can be perceived differently and every appearance will affect your relationship to objects. Similarly, a geographical map can be a key that opens up a new connection to the land itself, making it appear in a different light and altering our perception of it.
The metamorphosis of reality is a recurrent theme in the works of composer Davíð Brynjar Franzson. His source of inspiration and ideas comes from sound recordings of everyday life. The recordings themselves rarely appear in Davíð’s compositions, but it is in the transformation and adaptation of reality into a new form, the form of music, where his artistry takes place. Novel perceptions of reality arise through new connections between archtype and representation. For example, the relationship between a boiling kettle and a birdsong from afar acquires a new meaning when they are represented by musical instruments. This transformation of the archtype gives birth to a new reality and “musical meaning”.
In the exhibition An Urban Archive as an English Garden, the focus is on how our perception of time and place is influenced by the urban soundscapes around us. An urban soundscape is a term for the acoustic environment created by a city with its form, shape and activity. Human activity, architecture, fauna and natural forces, such as weather and landscape, give each city its unique sound, which varies depending on placements within the city, the date or time of day. An international cohort of collaborators has contributed field recordings made during different times of the day in their near environment – from Los Angeles, New York, Malmö and Reykjavík – which Davíð has arranged into a three-dimensional soundscape, based on the ideology of the 18th century English garden.
Composer David Brynjar Franzson (left) and cellist Júlía Mogensen (right)
Their intention is to create a place in which one can dwell and observe, where the landscape is meant to evoke curiosity and embrace its guests instead of framing them in an urban map. The urban soundscapes morph into an aural relief that is transformed over time. Different moments from the urban soundscapes are played simultaneously and as a result new meanings and contexts emerge. The soundscapes combine with the sounds of musical instruments, slowly moving through the space, responding to and reflecting on moments within the soundscape, a garden of sounds, which visitors can explore on their own, in both time and place.
An Urban Archive as an English Garden is both a traditional exhibition and a musical event that expands over time for the course of the exhibition. The installation is ephemeral and always in a state of flux, much like the urban soundscapes themselves. In the exhibition, we get a sense of place and non- place, as the voices of the cities enter into a conversation with Hafnarborg’s own acoustic environment, resulting in a unique effect. The exhibition thus creates a particular place in which to dwell momentarily, explore and experience. The role of the visitor is to discover and have an experience on their own terms, whether they direct their eyes and ears to the place and time, as moments unfold, to the sounds moving through the space, or they listen to the sound of their own movement around the space. They are always standing in an imaginary garden that is woven into time and space.
The map is not the territory it represents.
Perception always separates us from reality.
Þráinn Hjálmarsson
Translated by Marta Sigríður Pétursdóttir
[1] Korzybski, Alfred. 1933. Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics. (Lancaster/New York: The International Non-Aristotelian Library Publishing Company), 58.
[2] Barry, Ann Marie. 1997. Visual Intelligence: Perception, Image, and Manipulation in Visual Communication. (New York: State University of New York Press), 16.
Opening on 28th of August and running until 25th of October.
Davíð Brynjar Franzson's exhibition An Urban Archive as an English Garden, directs our attention to how our perception of time and place is influenced by the urban soundscapes around us. An urban soundscape is the sonic environment of a city, defined by the form, shape and activity of a given place. Culture, architecture, fauna and natural surroundings, including landscape and climate, give each city its ever-transforming and unique soundscape, which varies depending on placements within the city, as well as between days or even times of day.
Field recordings, captured in the immediate surroundings of Davíð’s international collaborators, have been arranged for the three-dimensional space of the exhibition, based on the ideology of the 18th century English garden. The main motive is to provide a space for the visitor to move around, explore and experience, as landscaped features serve as an invitation that guides the visitor along on their exploration, rather than offering fixed perspectives. Slow-moving instrumental sounds respond to and reflect on moments within the field recordings, forming a sonic landscape that acts as a garden in both time and space.
The exhibition is a continuation of Hafnarborg’s concert series Phonemes, which is dedicated to contemporary music, having pushed the boundaries of the series’ setting – and music – to its limits, in recent years. During the course of the exhibition, a programme featuring performances by Davíð’s collaborators will be presented, where they engage with and activate the exhibition through the playing of live instruments. The collaborators are Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir, violinist, living in Malmö, Júlía Mogensen, cellist, living in Reykjavík, Matt Barbier, trombonist, living in Los Angeles, and Russell Greenberg, percussionist, living in New York.
The curator of the exhibition is Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
The exhibition is supported by The Iceland Visual Arts Fund, the Music Fund and the RÚV and STEF Composers Fund.
The work was developed in part at IRCAM and ZKM.
Delighted to have contributed to the Sounds Unheard project, by SPEAK Percussion.
On a visit to Melbourne, Australia, in September/October 2018, as part of a residency at Monash University / The Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Áki Ásgeirsson, Jesper Pedersen, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and I paid SPEAK Percussion a visit and made a contribution to their Sounds Unheard-project with short online masterclasses on topics of our interest.
The Masterclasses are now available online!
SU Masterclass 39: S.L.Á.T.U.R. on Creative Platforms
SU Masterclass 40: S.L.Á.T.U.R. on Animated Notation
SU Masterclass 41: S.L.Á.T.U.R. on Instrument Design
It has become an annual tradition to make a "Summer listening playlist" on Spotify, which assembles some of my favorite music I've been listening to recently.
This year's list features (among many more): Ruth Anderson, Joseph Andrew Lake, Séverine Ballon, STHLM Svaga and Meredith Monk to mention few of the artists.
Enjoy! And enjoy your summer!
Sunday June 7th 2020 at 8 p.m. the current cycle of the concert series Phonemes will come to and end at Hafnarborg, as Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, artist and poet, and Svanur Vilbergsson, classical guitarist, perform a special concert.
The title of the concert – HLJORÐ – is a neologism coined by Ásta Fanney by combining the Icelandic words “hljóð” (e. sound) and “orð” (e. word), in an attempt to fuse these two signifiers of meaning in one and the same word. On one hand, there is the assumed meaning of words and, on the other, there is the contextual meaning of sounds, giving new meaning to utterances based on their context and combination.
At the concert, new and recent works by Ásta Fanney will be performed, as well as classical guitar solo pieces by Hafliði Hallgrímsson, Hugi Guðmundsson and Scott Wollschleger, performed by Vilbergsson.
Link
This year's Tectonics Glasgow took place in the form of Tectonics Rewind Festival where recordings from past festival's were made available online for a limited time.
There amongst is a recording of a concert by S.L.Á.T.U.R. at "Fruit Market Hall" in 2014. This was a rememberable and wonderful concert with a lot of visually based works, unfortunately the recording is without video.
Link
Enjoy!
Fifth and latest issue of the webzine "Threads" (published annually by Music department of Iceland University of the Arts) is out!
Among articles is my short postcard "from" Basel, Switzerland. Where I share a recording made in 2015, exploring the acoustics of the artwork "Intersection II" by Richard Serra, which is placed at the heart of Basel.
Link to the article [In Icelandic]
Available on youtube! Percussionist Jennifer Torrence performing Tom Johnson's "Nine Bells" (1979) at the opening of the exhibition "Phonemes - exhibiting music" at Hafnarborg 26th of January 2019.
The video was recorded for the exhibition itself, being shown on a screen in the middle of the exhibition space, so the guests, who missed the opening concert, would be able to enjoy the piece in performance.
The recording is published with the artists' permission
Enjoy!
I've uploaded the score of the chamber work Influence of buildings on musical tone [2013] on my website.
Direct link
The work was commissioned by Ilan Volkov and Iceland Symphony Orchestra (Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands) for the festival Tectonics Music Festival Reykjavík in 2013.
The work is the title track on my debut album and is there marvellously performed by Caput Ensemble, conducted by Guðni Franzson. Available on all streaming platforms.
Enjoy and take good care of yourself!
The exhibition "Phonemes - exhibiting music" and its opening concert has just been awarded the Iceland Music Award for "The Music Event of the Year (Single Event)", in the field of classic and contemporary music.
The opening concert was in the hands of percussionist Jennifer Torrence, which performed Tom Johnson's Nine Bells along with premiering a new work by Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir.
Congratulations to Hafnarborg and all the participating artists! I'm honoured to have been asked to curate this exhibition and thankful for getting this opportunity to work with all these brilliant artist participating in the exhibition and its event program.
Thank you all participating artists for your contribution:
Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Curver Thoroddsen, Einar Torfi Einarsson, James Saunders, Jón Gunnar Árnason, Logi Leó Gunnarsson, Magnús Pálsson, Marko Ciciliani, Steina, Steinunn Eldflaug Harðardóttir and Tom Johnson.
Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, Barbara Lueneburg, Berglind María Tómasdóttir, Curver Thoroddsen, Haraldur Jonsson, Jennifer Torrence, Marko Ciciliani and Skerpla.
It is possible to read further on the exhibition and the curatorial text here.
Notabu.ensemble neue musik performs the work Lucid / Opaque at Tonhalle Düsseldorf on 6th of March 2020. The concert is part of the concert series Na hör’n Sie mal, subtitled Ohren auf Island.
Ticket information can be found here.
The exhibition Phonemes – Exhibiting Music, which took place at Hafnarborg from January 26th–March 3rd of last year, has been nominated as The Music Event of the Year (Single Event) at The Icelandic Music Awards 2020. The judges‘ statement about the exhibition says the following:
The artists participating in the exhibition were Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Steina, Steinunn Eldflaug Harðardóttir, Logi Leó Gunnarsson, Jón Gunnar Árnason, James Saunders, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Magnús Pálsson, Tom Johnson, Curver Thoroddsen and Einar Torfi Einarsson.
Curator of the exhibition was Thrainn Hjalmarsson.
In connection with the exhibition, there was also an extensive programme of concerts, musical events and performances, featuring local and foreign artists and musicians, such as Haraldur Jónsson, Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, Marko Ciciliani, Barbara Lüneburg, Skerpla, Berglind M. Tómasdóttir and more. The events were also a part of the programme of Dark Music Days, receiving four nominations at this year‘s award ceremony.
Dear friend and virtuoso Marco Fusi is visiting Iceland and performs at Iðnó, Reykjavík 28th of January at 8pm. His concert is part of Myrkir músíkdagar / Dark Music Days festival 2020.
On the program a full set of recent music written for viola d'amore. There amongst my work Utter / enunciate.
Full scores of selected works can be found on the website. Enjoy!
The film Askew - Works and days of Magnús Pálsson by director Steinþór Birgisson will be premiered at Bíó Paradís on the 26th of December 2018.
This documentary on visual artist Magnús Pálsson includes fragments from his work 'Endangered cows' written for Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic poetry choir, Karlkór Alþýðu and members of Kvennakórinn Katla in 2015.
For the premiere I conducted the choir along with assisting Pálsson to realize his work for the orchestra.
Further here
Saturday 23rd of November at 1-4 pm at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús.
Symposium on the carrer of visual artist Magnús Pálsson held in relation to the exhibition SOMETHING from NOTHING: The Visual Realm of Magnús Pálsson. at Reykjavík Art Museum.
Participants in the symposium discuss the various aspects of the artist´s career and will the symposium end with a panel.
At this Symposium I will speak of the hidden music of language in Pálsson's performances, with a particular focus on the work "Endangered breed" [2015] (ísl. Kúakyn í hættu) - Premiered by Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Nýló-kórinn, Karlkór Alþýðu and members of Kvennakórinn Katla in 2015.
The youtube channel ScoreFollower has for years posted videos of contemporary classical music with its scores.
I've gotten to know so much of great music through this channel. It has surely transformed the contemporary classical scene into a village where you know the music of so many.
I'm happy to share with you the latest video with my own work, "Lucid / Opaque", performed by the marvellous Nordic Affect - a recording that appears on my album Influence of buildings on musical tone, released by Carrier Records in 2018.
About the work - from an interview in The Reykjavík Grapevine:
Sunday 13th of October at 8pm in Hafnarborg - Museum as part of the concert series Phonemes (ísl. Hljóðön).
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson and pianist Lluïsa Espigolé with amazing program. Performing works by Joanna Bailie, Alban Berg, Jonathan Harvey, Jörg Widmann and Gérard Grisey.
Photo from the openinng of the exhibition "SOMETHING from NOTHING: The Visual Realm of Magnús Pálsson" at LISTASAFN REYKJAVÍKUR REYKJAVIK ART MUSEUM. Curated by Markús Þór Andrésson and Sigurður Trausti Traustason.
Conducting Magnús Pálsson's work "Bílatal (bílar tala um fólk)" (e. Car talk [cars speak about people]).
Performed by the marvellous Nýlókórinn/Íslenski hljóðljóðakórinn.
Highly recommended exhibition!
Almost a decade ago I contacted visual artist Magnús Pálsson, where I had stumbled upon a recording of the "Sculpture of voices" Freyskatla.
He generously gave me a copy of the score of Freyskatla and since then I've gotten involved in few of his performances.
In 2013, directing/adapting his work (in collaboration with composer Atli Ingólfsson) „Ævintýr“ for his [performance based] retrospective exhibition at LISTASAFN REYKJAVÍKUR REYKJAVIK ART MUSEUM.
In 2015, adapting/directing (in collaboration with flutist Áshildur Haraldsdóttir) the work „Kúakyn í hættu“ for Nýlókórinn/Íslenski hljóðljóðakórinn and Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands.
Next up is a short peformance of the work „Bílatal (Bílar tala um fólk)“ (e. Car talk - Cars speak about people) for the opening of another retrospective [object based] at Reykjavík Art Museum, later this month.
His approach to the arts in general is so inspiring. His works are light and fun on the surface, but they stay with you for a long while and unfold slowly afterwards in your mind.
Warm words by music critic Jónas Sen on the premiere of "Immaterial / fleeting" at New Music for Strings festival 2019.
Thank you for a wonderful collaboration Þórunn Vala Valdimarsdóttir, Connie Wei Wan, Daniel McCarthy, Ertan Torgul, Júlía Mogensen, Ísak Ríkharðsson, Sólveig Steinþórsdóttir and Þórdís Gerður Jónsdóttir. What a performance!
Honored to be an artist-in-residence at the New Music for Strings festival in Iceland 2019! A Music Festival celebrating new and newly written music for strings with series of concerts, lectures and workshops.
My latest piece, Immaterial / fleeting", for a voice and a string septet, written especially for this occasion with support from Tónskáldasjóður RÚV / STEF, will be premiered at the final event of the festival at Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, Thursday evening 15th of August 2019 at 19:30.
Welcome!
Concert tickets at Harpa.is
Available for streaming online until 17th of August 2019 - Recording by the national radio broadcast (Rás 1) from a concert of Stirni ensemble at the concert series "Phonemes" at Hafnarborg, last April.
The program concisted of a diverse music. Ranging from the new work "RASK" by composer Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir, premiered by guitarist Svanur Vilbergsson. To recent works by Steinunn Arnbjörg Stefánsdóttir, Arngerður María Árnadóttur and Sóley Stefánsdóttir to older works by Aldo Clementi and Atli Heimir Sveinsson.
Listen to the concert here
Wonderful review on my album Influence of buildings on musical tone in Neue Zeitschrift für musik.
Wonderful review on my album Influence of buildings on musical tone in TEMPO Journal.
Stirni ensemble continues it's residency at the concert series Phonemes at Hafnarborg with a concert on Sunday 28th of April 2019 at 20.
Stirni ensemble premieres new work by composer Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir along performing recent works by Sóley Stefánsdóttir, Arngerður María Árnadóttir and Steinunn Arnbjörg Stefánsdóttir.
Blending with older works by Cathy Berberian, Joji Yuasa, Aldo Clementi and Atla Heimi Sveinsson.
The concert is part of the festival Bjartir dagar (e. Bright days) in Hafnarfjörður.
Wholeheartly welcome!
Excerpt from an opera installation for circle flute and a vocalist. Performed at CYCLE - Music and Art Festival 2018 at Gerðarsafn.
Installation by Brynjar Sigurðarson and Veronika Sedlmair
Concept by Brynjar Sigurðarson, Veronika Sedlmair and Thrainn Hjalmarsson
Music by Thrainn Hjalmarsson
Lyrics by Sophie Fetokaki
Collaborators
Sophie Fetokaki
Björg Brjánsdóttir
Berglind M. Tómasdóttir
Melkorka Ólafsdóttir
Steinunn Vala Pálsdóttir
Supported by Tónskáldasjóður RÚV
Performance by clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson of the work Tinted / Milieu at the concert series Cluster in Berlin, 11th of November 2018.
Ahh yes, the good old days of experiments!
Composer Cat Hope cites the work "Constellation" from 2010 as part of her key note presentation given during the Sound and Music Computing Conference (SMC) 2016 in Hamburg. [Video at 19:50]
I wrote "Constellation" during my studies at Iceland University of the Arts and received great help from my student colleague Matthías Arnalds, to embed the Markov-chain into the work. Due to this, the work appears differently each time you render the code.
The exhibition "Phonemes - Exhibiting music" at Hafnarborg closes on Sundary 3rd of March 2019.
On the final day of the exhibition; curatorial talk at 3pm and at 4pm the visual artists Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir and Haraldur Jónsson premiere the work BLÓÐSÓL III
The museum is open from 12-5pm every day until Sunday. Free admission!
The album Influence of buildings on musical tone is nominated as the best contemporary classical album of 2018 at the Icelandic Music Awards (Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin)!
Thank you for the wonderful collaboration and congratulations dear Caput Ensemble, Nordic Affect, Kristin Thora, Ensemble Adapter & Íslenski flautukórinn/The Icelandic Flute Ensemble.
Sunday February 17th at 2 p.m., Experimental Music Ensemble Skerpla and Berglind María Tómasdóttir will perform the music of visual artist Jón Gunnar Árnason and composers Atli Heimir Sveinsson and James Saunders at special concert, in relation to Phonemes – Exhibiting Music.
Founded in 2018, Skerpla is the experimental music ensemble of the Iceland University of the Arts. Skerpla explores, creates and performs experimental music, expanding preconceived ideas on what music is and can be or music in which the act is – sometimes – known and the outcome is – often – unknown.
Members of Skerpla are Alicia Achaques, Bergþóra Linda Ægisdóttir, Ísidór Jökull Bjarnason, Karl Magnús Bjarnarson, Kári Sigurðsson and Snæfríður María Björnsdóttir.
The leader of Skerpla is Berglind María Tómasdóttir, associate professor at the Iceland University of the Arts.
Admission is free.
FB event: Hljóðön – Skerpla og Berglind María Tómasdóttir
Saturday February 16th at 11:15 a.m. in relation to the Hugarflug - annual conference of Iceland University of the Arts. I will give a presentation in Icelandic based on the article
published in the spring of 2018 on the presence of the voice in Music history.
Admission is free
Details on Hugarflug
The national broadcast, RÚV, covered the exhibition "Phonemes - exhibiting music" at Hafnarborg. See here.
I am not sure if this segment is ideal to learn Icelandic, but at least ideal to hear it out.
The exhibition runs until 3rd of March 2019. Open daily, except Tuesdays, from 12-5pm.
Saturday, 2nd of February at 4pm; Marko Ciciliani and Barbara Lüneburg will perform their own music in relation to their contribution to the concert
exhibition "Phonemes - exhibiting music" at Hafnarborg. The event is as well a part of Dark Music Days 2019 and takes place at 4pm. Admission is free.
As an upbeat to their performance, Ciciliani and Lüneburg will lecture at Iceland University of the Arts on their works and artistic vision Thursday 31st of January 2019, from 1-3pm. The lecture takes place at the music department of Iceland University of the Arts, Skipholt 31, 101 Reykjavík.
The exhibition is expanded with series of events during the exhibition time. Free admission as always.
Further on the exhibition
Saturday 26th of January 2019, the exhibition "Phonemes - exhibiting music" opened at Hafnarborg. This is a project I have worked on for over a year and it feels great to see the whole thing finally come together. With works by many of my favorite artists!
The picture attached from one of the newspapers covering the exhibtion, actually sends a mixed signal, where the exhibition does not reflect well my "very subtle smile". Actually, I encourage people to go with their kids.
Hafnarborg is open between 12 - 5 pm every day except Tuesdays.
The exhibition is expanded with series of events during the exhibition time. Free admission as always.
Further on the exhibition
As part of the exhibition Phonemes - exhibiting music at Hafnarborg.
Percussionist/Performer Jennifer Torrence premieres the work, Cumulus, by composer Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir along with performing Tom Johnson's Nine Bells, from 1979 at a performance on Saturday 26th of January 2019 at 2pm. Admission to the event is free.
The concert is as well part of the Dark Music Days 2019-festival.
The works by Johnson and Snæbjörnsdóttir will become part of the exhibition afterwards.
The exhibition „Phonemes - exhibiting music“ opens Saturday 26th of January 2019 at 3pm at Hafnarborg.
The participating artists are Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Curver Thoroddsen, Einar Torfi Einarsson, James Saunders, Jón Gunnar Árnason, Magnús Pálsson, Steina, Steinunn Eldflaug Harðardóttir and Tom Johnson.
Curator is Thrainn Hjalmarsson
Further on the exhibition here
Soon opening - it is going to be a busy installment week at Hafnarborg.
The exhibition „Phonemes - exhibiting music“ opens Saturday 26th of January 2019!
The exhibition celebrates the fifth anniversary of the concert series of the same name, extending the platform of the series, which is dedicated to contemporary music and has been a part of the Hafnarborg programme since 2013. The exhibition highlights music and art, which augments our perception, as well as affecting our listening and altering our relation to sound in diverse ways.
Here our ideas of music are confronted with the timelessness of the exhibition space. The music goes beyond the limitation of sound, where the visuals play a vital role in our perception of the music itself. Music becomes as much a sound as it is a fixed object. Musical time is translated into distances in space, the performer and the listener unite.
The participating artists are Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Curver Thoroddsen, Einar Torfi Einarsson, James Saunders, Jón Gunnar Árnason, Magnús Pálsson, Steina, Steinunn Eldflaug Harðardóttir and Tom Johnson.
Curator is Thrainn Hjalmarsson
Further on the exhibition here
FB event: Sýningaropnanir í Hafnarborg
Congratulation Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson!
Vilhjálmsson's solo album just got chosen one of the best solo recital albums of 2018! In the mind of Christian Carey at Sequenza21.
I had the honor to contribute to his album a work for solo contrabass clarinet and electronics;
The following photo is from a meeting of ours in Iceland back in 2017, while preparing the piece and trying out materials for this unique instrument.
Wonderful to see my album on all those year-list by various critics.
I am thrilled to see my album, Influence of buildings on musical tone on Peter Margasak's list of The Best Contemporary Classical Albums of 2018 for the Bandcamp daily. Top 10 list with music by other composers such as Eva-Maria Houben, Julius Eastman, George Friedrich Haas and more.
I love this quote! And it's spot on, I seek a lot of inspiration to noise music, where as the the physicality of the music is just so enthrilling. The album Influence of buildings on musical tone is included on Robert "Goat" Beveridge's Best I heard, 2018 edition-list as an Honorable mention
Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson's solo album just got chosen one of the best solo recital albums of 2018! In the mind of Christian Carey at Sequenza21.
I had the honor to contribute to his album a work for solo contrabass clarinet and electronics; "Another standout is Tinted / Milieu for contrabass clarinet and electronics by Thrainn Hjalmarsson"
The album Influence of buildings on musical tone is included on this Music I Enjoyed in 2018-list of Sasha Frere-Jones, freelance writer for Artforum and The New Yorker
The album Influence of buildings on musical tone places #38 at Simon Cumming's Top 40 list of 2018 recordings list!
Thrilled to see my album included on this wonderful Top 20 Best of 2018: Noteworthy Recordings list by Steve Smith for the National Sawdust Log.
"A real knockout" - Wonderful to see 'Influence of buildings of musical tone' on this list by Peter Margasak as the best Contemporary Classical albums on Bandcamp for Sept/Oct.
The album 'INFLUENCE OF BUILDINGS ON MUSICAL TONE' is a collection of five recent chamber works by Icelandic composer THRAINN HJALMARSSON, performed by five of Iceland’s most exciting new music performers/ensembles –
CAPUT ensemble, Nordic Affect, Ensemble Adapter, Icelandic Flute Ensemble and Kristin Thora Haraldsdottir – five ensembles who are actively redefining what experimental and classical new music is in
relation to our modern world.
Ranging from the quiet intimacy of the solo viola in 'PERSONA', the glacial gravitas of the 12- piece flute ensemble of 'GRISAILLE' -
to the explosive dynamics of the title track – 'INFLUENCE OF BUILDINGS ON MUSICAL TONE' - an homage to the extreme acoustics of
traditional Icelandic turf houses.
Hjalmarsson is known for his detailed and finely woven sound world, where the act of listening plays a vital role. Here, the perception
of sound is ever transforming, revealing an otherwise obfuscated narrative, unfolding in time.
The album is available in Pre-sale at Amazon and Bandcamp
The marvellous Italian violinist Marco Fusi premieres the work Utter / Enunciate, for viola d'amore and electroncis, at Skálholt Saturday 7th of July 2018 at 14.
Fusi will perform the work again at a concert the day after, 8th of July at 14 at Skálholt.
The concerts are a part of the summer concert series at Skálholt - Sumartónleikar í Skálholtskirkju
Admission is Free.
The work Utter / Enunciate was written with a support from Iceland artist' salary fund (Listamannalaun).
Why not putting together a playlist for the summer evenings. Enjoy!
A wonderful photo of Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson playing his contrabass clarinet at a performance in Berlin 26th of May.
Am not sure if the photo is taken during the performance of my 'Tinted / Milieau'. But given how close this audience member got to Ingólfur, it might probably be, where he's just trying to hear something. :)
Berliners! Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson performs the work "Tinted / Milieau" for contrabass clarinet at Botschaft von Island / Sendiráð Íslands í Berlín, Saturday 26th of May. In relation to a preview event of Cycle Music and Art Festival.
This event is a sneak peek into the upcoming festival in Iceland in October. Everybody is welcome but RVSP is required (see link in event description).
The event on Facebook
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson visits Den Haag and performs at Ephémère concert series Thursday May 17th. Amongst works on the program is the solo contrabass
clarinet work Tinted / Milieu, written especially for him and his album in 2017.
The event on Facebook
Out today! My article "Rödd hljóðanna" (e. The voice of sounds) is featured in the latest webzine "Þræðir", published by the music department of Iceland University of the Arts.
Unfortunately for english speakers the article is in Icelandic. But I guess a little bit of help from Google Translate will give a glimpse of the context.
The article seeks to grasp the traces of "the voice" through the history of music. Among topics are; historically informed performance practice, "the voice of the author", "the voice of the notation", "the voice of the listener" and "color of language" among many others.
The article is a bit long but filled with sound examples from every direction, including Claudio Monteverdi, Young Thug, John Cage, Yannis Kyriakides, Pamela Z, Meredith Monk, Horatiu Radulescu, Alvin Lucier among others.
It is possible to read it here.
Violinist Hulda Jónsdóttir and pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir perform a diverse program of music by composers Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Giacinto Scelsi
and Bryn Harrison, along with premiering a new work by Karólína Eiríksdóttir, which was written especially for the occasion.
The concert takes place at Hafnarborg Sunday 22nd of April 2018 at 20.
Composer Bryn Harrison visits Iceland University of the Arts in relation to the concert
of violinist Hulda Jónsdóttir and pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir at the concert series Hljóðön at Hafnarborg.
Harrison will lecture on his music Friday 20th of April at 14-15:30 at the Music Department of the University. Skipholt 30, 105 Reykjavík. Admission is free.
Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson's latest album with music for solo bassclarinet/contrabass clarinet is now available on all major streaming services such as Spotify and iTunes!
You can order a physical copy through Vilhjálmson's album page here.
From a recording session with wonderful CAPUT ensemble! I look forward to share it with you when the time is right - hopefully sooner than later...
On February 15th, an all-star septet, consisting of six guitars and a Thranophone, will play their debut concert in Mengi.
The septet features six guitarist; Albert Finnbogason, Brynjar Leifsson, Kjartan Holm, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum, Pétur Ben, Róbert Reynisson and Ingi Garðar Erlendsson on Thranophone.
Event information
Documentation from the premiere of 'Impalpable / Corporeal' by Vertixe Sonora, conducted by Ramón Suoto, last October in Vigo. Enjoy!
Available until 28th of April 2018. Recording from the Icelandic premiere of the ensemble work Impalpable / Corporeal at Myrkir músíkdagar / Dark Music Days 2018 music festival.
Performed by the wonderful CAPUT ensemble, conducted by Guðni Franzson.
Click here to listen, the work starts at minute 4. Please enjoy!.
The wonderful CAPUT ensemble performs the work 'Impalpable / Corporeal' at their concert at Dark Music Days festival 2018.
The concert takes place at Fríkirkjan, Reykjavík on Friday 26th of January 2018 at 21. Tickets are available here.
Director Svante Aulis Löwenborg writes about the history and activity of S.L.Á.T.U.R in the novemeber publication of Nutida Music.
The article is in Swedish, you can get your copy here.
Excited to share with you the trailer for an opera, which has been growing for the last year, made in collaboration with Studio Brynjar & Veronika.
Watch the trailer below!
Vocalist:
Irène Bourdat
Circle flutists:
Patrice Bocquillon, Sophie Deshayes, Ludivine Issambourg & Gionata Sgambaro,
With thanks to:
Artists' salary fund in Iceland
Iceland Academy of the Arts
Lafayette Anticipation - Fondation Galeries Lafayette
Archives nationales(France)
Jean Yves Roosen
Documented at Musée des Archives nationales 9-10th of September 2017
Vertixe Sonora premieres the work Impalpable / Corporeal, for flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, viola, violoncello and double bass, on their opening concert for their enthusiasti music festival IV FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CREACIÓN MUSICAL CONTEMPORÁNEA.
The concert takes place at Museum Verbo in Vigo, 1st of October 2017 at 18:30.
Further information on the event here.
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson celebrates his upcoming album release on the 24th of September at 21 in Mengi, Reykjavík.
His album includes new and recent works for solo bass- and contrabass clarinet works by composers such as Jesper Pedersen, Franco Donatoni, Alistair Zaldua and Jakob Diehl, along with my work Tinted / Milieu for solo contrabass clarinet and electronics.
Further information on the event here.
Flutists Patrice Bocquillon, Sophie Deshayes, Ludivine Issambourg and Gionata Sgambaro perform on the circle flute
during a two day event at Archives Nationales - Salon de Prince Ovale on 9th and 10th of September.
During the two day event, they will along with vocalist Irène Bourdat perform moments from an upcoming opera for a circle flute and a vocalist,
that is currently being developed in collaboration with artists Brynjar Sigurðarson and Veronika Seidlmar
On sunday, 10th of September, at 16 there is a full on performance with free admission, but seats have to be reserved.
Further on the event here
As part of the UNM 2017 - Music and Space festival held in Reykjavík, 14th-19th of August 2017.
Visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson and I, ran a short workshop with composers from Finland, Sweden and Denmark, introducing to them the 'omniresonant concert venue' at the
building of Iceland Academy of the Arts in Þverholt 11, Reykjavík.
As a result of a short workshop, new works by composers Johan Blixt (SE), Jaime Belmonte (FI) and Mathias Monrad Møller (DK) were performed in a special event at the festival, Friday, August 18th 2017 at 16.
The pieces explored the building as a unified concert venue and the works were heard throughuot the whole building.
Further on the event here
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson will release a new album with music for bass and contrabass clarinet this autumn. The release will include a debut recording of the work Tinted / Milieu -
for contrabass clarinet and electronics, written especially for the album.
The piece was recorded at PicaroMedia in Kreuzberg, Berlin in August 2017. Tonmeistered, mixed and mastered by Peter Weinsheimer.
A special event in relation to the album's release will be held Friday 22nd of September 2017 at 21 in Mengi, Reykjavík.
Critic and composer Simon Cummings wrote wonderfully for "5:4" on the orchestral work As heard across a room.
The work was premiered on the occasion of the Hear & Now concert series of BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2014. Conducted by Ilan Volkov.
The full review can be read here.
As part of our writing process for a new work/opera for a circle flute and a vocalist. Artists Brynjar Sigurðarson, Veronika Sedlmair and I met twice during the summer in
work sessions, where objects, movements and music were sketched further.
The first work session took place in June at the theater department of Iceland Academy of the Arts in Reykjavík.
The second work session takes place in Neuköln, Berlin this August.
The last step in this pre-production for the performance will take place at Archives Nationales - Salon de Prince Ovale this September, with flutists Patrice Bocquillon, Sophie Deshayes, Ludivine Issambourg, Gionata Sgambaro and vocalist Irène Bourdat.
Violinist Daniela Müller, viola player Andreas Kunz, and cellist Stefan Thut, perform the string trio Lucid / Opaque at a concert at Säulenhalle Landhaus Solothurn, Switzerland. 11th of
June 2017 at 8pm. Along with works by Joseph Kudirka, Kunsu Shim and Anton Webern.
More information on the event here
The Icelandic Sound Poetry Choir, conducted by Þráinn Hjálmarsson, premieres the work Tuning - The Story of the Windscreen Wiper by visual artist Bryndís Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir. At
The living art museum, Marshall-house, Reykjavík on 1st of June 2017 at 8pm. Free admission.
The work was made especially for the choir in 2017.
Swiss composer and cellist Stefan Thut is the guest of the concert series Phonemes at Hafnarborg Museum, April 24th at 8pm.
On the program, music by Thut and composer Jürg Frey, performed by Thut, flutist Berglind M. Tómasdóttir, myself and music students of Iceland Academy of the Arts.
In relation to the concert of composer and cellist Stefan Thut in the concert series Hljóðön at Hafnarborg Museum Sunday 23rd of April 2017.
Centre for Research in Music (CRiM, Iceland Academy of the Arts) in collaboration with the concert series organises a symposium and workshop on the music of the Wandelweiser Group. Wandelweiser is both a publishing company and an international collective of composers/performers. The group has been associated with minimalism and experimental music, taking John Cage‘s silent piece 4‘33‘‘ as their starting point. Wandelweiser members therefore explore new ways of listening where the experience of sound, silence and time are investigated.
We will explore the history and characteristics of the music by members of the Wandelweiser group and explore the performer‘s perspectives and roles. A member of the Wandelweiser, Stephan Thut, is a special guest on the symposium and will introduce his approach to composition and his place within the collective.
The symposium concludes with a workshop under the guidance of Stephan Thut and the symposium‘s participants, where works will be dicussed, rehearsed and finally performed on Hljóðön concert series on Sunday 23 April in Hafnarborg.
Time and place: Friday, April 21, at 13:00, Sölvhóll, Music Department IAA.
Participants:
Berglind María Tómasdóttir, composer/performer
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, composer/performer
Stefan Thut, composer/performer
Þráinn Hjálmarsson, composer
Chair: Einar Torfi Einarsson
An online article (in Icelandic) published by The music department of Iceland Academy of the Arts on "the Circle flute" of Studio Brynjar & Veronika. Describing some of the unique instrument techniques possible on the instrument and reflecting on some of it's more subjective narrative in the instrument.
The article is available here.
These three at Greenhouse studios were jolly to hear how things are developing in the post-production for the upcoming album. Looking forward to share it with you this upcoming fall. With performances by CAPUT ensemble, Ensemble Adapter, Icelandic flute ensemble, Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir and Nordic Affect.
Warm and beautiful words by Lauri Supponen on the orchestral work "Perpendicular / Slightly tilted", premiered at Myrkir músíkdagar / Dark Music Days:
More of Supponen's words on Dark Music Days 2017 here.
What is a circle flute? This is discussed in the radio interview of session #10 of Radio *DUUU. Recorded during the exhibition "Joining forces with the unknown" held in Paris in October 2016.
Host Maxime Guitton interviews Brynjar Sigurðarson and Veronika Sedlmeir of Studio Brynjar & Veronika and myself on their project, "the circle flute". In addition of playing music made with diverse new music instruments from the 20th and 21st century.
The interview is in english and starts at 4:00
Available until 1st of May 2017. Recording from the premiere of the orchestral work "Perpendicular / Slightly tilted" at Myrkir músíkdagar / Dark Music Days 2017 music festival.
Performed by Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daníel Bjarnason.
Click here to listen, the work starts right after a short interview (in Icelandic) at 19:25. Please enjoy!.
Ensemble U performs the work "Sculpture #3" for six performers at a Kaldalón Concert Hall in Harpa Reykjavík on the 27th of January 2017. See further at The website of Dark Music Days 2017
Iceland Symphony Orchestra premieres the orchestral work "Perpendicular / Slightly tilted" in relation to Myrkir músíkdagar / Dark Music Days 2017 music festival at Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.
The concert includes as well premieres of new works by composers Finnur Karlsson and Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir.
The event takes place at "Northern lights"-hall in Harpa at 12:00. Admission is free!
Iceland Academy of the Arts and music festival Dark Music Days team up and present a special symposium on the use of "Active notation" in music. Friday 27th of January at 13:30 at Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center ("Vísa" - room).
Participants in the symposium are composer Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, myself and pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir. Moderated by Einar Torfi Einarsson.
Admission is free to the symposium.
Ensemble U performs the work "Sculpture #3" for six performers at a concert Kultuurikatel Hall in Tallinn on the 24th of January 2017. The concert starts at 20.
As an annual tradition in the beginning of each year, it's fun to take together most of what happened in the year that has past
2016 - New works premiered
Two new works works were premiered in the year of 2016. This year focused on a collaboration with the visual artists/designars Brynjar Sigurðarson and Veronika Sedlmair (Studio Brynjar & Veronika). Collaborating on their new music instrument The circle flute
30th of January 2016 - Nordic Affect premiered the work Lucid / Opaque, at the Dark Music Days 2016 Music festival in Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík. Recording from the performance was broadcasted at Icelandic National Radio Broadcast in February.
Beautiful words by Gavin Gamboa on the work for the I care if you listen (.com) magazine:
30th of September 2016 - The work Vocalise, for electronics and solo performer was premiered at the concert of S.L.Á.T.U.R at Nordic Music Days 2016 in Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík.
22nd and 23rd of October 2016 The devised music performance Joining forces with the unknown with Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid. Was performed the two last exhibition day of the exhibition with the same name. As part of a project by Studio Brynjar & Veronika, Circle flute.
Other performances worldwide
29th of January 2016 - CAPUT ensemble performed the work Influence of buildings on musical tone at their concert at Dark Music Days 2016 at Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík. Recording from the performance was broadcasted at Icelandic National Radio Broadcast in February.
15th of April 2016 - Icelandic Symphony Orchestra performed the orchestral work As heard across a room at the fourth and last Tectonics Music Festival - Reykjavík. Recording from the performance was broadcasted at Icelandic National Radio Broadcast in April.
30th of April 2016 - SKARK ensemble performed the work Lucid / Opaque at a concert in relation to Bodenseefestival 2016 in Germany.
19th of June 2016 - Assaf Gidron, Charlie Rauh, Jesse Greenberg, Lester St Louis, Sasha Zamler-Carhart and Teodora Stepančić. performed the work y = f(x) at a concert at SPECTRUM, New York.
28th of October 2016 - The film RELIEF was screened at Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival in Prague.
28th of November 2016 - Duo Harpverk performed the work Brú for Harp and percussion at their concert at their concert within the concert series 15:15 at the Nordic House, Reykjavík.
3rd of December 2016 - Catchpenny ensemble performed a version of their own of the work Sculpture #3 for six performers at Dag in de branding festival, dedicated to the "the second Hague school" of composers.
Radio broadcasts
24th of February 2016 - SRF2 broadcasted a recording of the orchestral work, As heard across a room performed by Basel Sinfonietta,the recording was made in Zurich, 4th of October 2015.
2nd of February 2016 - Radio channel 1 of Icelandic Radio Broadcast broadcasted a recording of the work Influence of buildings on musical tone from a performance of the Caput ensemble at the Dark Music Days 2016 at Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík, 29th of January 2016.
18th of April 2016 - Radio channel 1 of Icelandic Radio Broadcast broadcasted a recording of the work As heard across a room from a performance of Icelandic Symphony Orchestra at the Tectonics Music Festival 2016 at Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík, 15th of April 2016.
22nd of October 2016 - Interview along with Brynjar Sigurðarson and Veronika Sedlmeir on *DUUU radio, Paris, France.
Lecturing based work / research
January - May 2016 - Teaching the course 'Timbre as material', a long with Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist, hosted by the music department of Iceland Academy of the Arts. The course explored the world of acoustics and ways to use the behaviour of sound in spaces and materials as medium. Many guest lecturers; musicians, visual artists, acousticians and instrument makers contributed to the course. The students developed diverse projects that, among other things involved altering and extending classical instruments. The final projects were presented at the Academy (Sölvhóll - Music hall) 18th of May 2016.
Below is a documentation video from one of the projects from the course.
2nd to 11th of June 2016 - Residency at Elektronmusik studio (EMS) in Stockholm. Working on developing the work Vocalise, which premiered at Nordic Music Days. The residency was funded by Kulturkontakt Nord - Mobility Fund.
29th of June 2016 - Composer and musician Ingi Garðar Erlendsson presented the Thranophone at the International Conference on Live Interfaces 2016 at University of Sussex, held 29th of June - 3rd of July 2016. Performing a duet along with trumpet player Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson.
Other collaborations
20th of March 2016 - A new concert series of ensemble Fengjastrútur, Fengi, at the experimental music venue, Mengi. This concert series was dedicated to the "open scores" repertoire. First concert includes works by dear friends of the ensemble; Lucier, Oliveros, Wolff and Ashley along with premieres of new works by composers Áki Ásgeirsson and Gunnar Grímsson.
4th of May 2016 - As part of the concert series of ensemble Fengjastrútur, Fengi, at the experimental music venue, Mengi. The second concert of the series Horizontal lines. Takes place Thursday 4th of May 2016 at 21. With premieres of new and recent works by Icelandic composers such as Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Gunnar Grímsson, Gunnar Karel Másson, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson and Ingi Garðar Erlendsson.
June 2016 - Residency in Flateyri, Iceland. Collaborating and researching on the new music instrument Circle flute made by designers/visual artists Studio Brynjar & Veronika. Working on a devised work with flutists Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid at Flateyri, Iceland.
22nd and 23rd of October 2016 - Performance of a devised music for Circle flute with Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid as part of the exhibition Joining forces with the unknown by Foundation Gallery Lafayette
As a part of a project by Studio Brynjar & Veronika
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) - concert series in 2016
The concert series Phonemes (ísl. Hljóðön) at Hafnarborg, included three concerts throughout the year.
28th of February 2016 - Clarinetist Ármann Helgason, pianist Aladár Rácz and cellist Gunnhildur Halla Guðmundsdóttir, performed various works by composers born in the early 20th Century and their artistic vision developed during drastic times in human history. Performing music by composers such as Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Per Nørgaard, Robert Muczynski and Toshio Hosokawa.
24th of April 2016 - Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson solo recital on Contrabassclarinet, giving a unique insight to the sound world of this unique instrument. Performing works by composers such as Gérard Grisey, Franco Donatoni, Mark André, Sebastian Elikowski-Winkler along with premiering a new work by composer and Einar Torfi Einarsson.
16th of October 2016 - Percussionist Frank Aarnink and violinist Laufey Jensdóttir, perform music by Tom Johnson, Albert Schnelzer, Helmut Lachenmann along with premiering a new work by Sigrún Jónsdóttir.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) - in 2017
24th of April 2017 - Composer and cellist Stefan Thut performs music by Jurg Frey and himself with the help of students of the Iceland Academy of the Arts.
2017 - Upcoming premieres
Perpendicular / slightly tilted premiered by Icelandic Symphony Orchestra at Dark Music Days 2017
New work for Halldorophone
New work for Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson - contrabass clarinet solo
New work for Marco Fusi - viola d'amore
New work/opera for Circle flute in collaboration with Studio Brynjar & Veronika
Research in 2017
27th of January 2017 - Symposium on the use of animated notation. Held by The Iceland Academy of the Arts in relation to Dark Music Days 2017 - Music Festival.
February 2017 - Teaching analysis of contemporary music at Iceland Academy of the Arts.
21st of April 2017 - Symposium dedicated to the music of composers involved in edition Wandelweiser will be held in collaboration with the Iceland Academy of the Arts.
TBA - Publishing Method for Thranophone - introduction booklet for the instrument.
Other in 2017
Publication of a new album with works performed by Caput ensemble, Nordic Affect, Ensemble Adapter, The Icelandic flute choir and Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir - Released by Carrier records
The concert of S.L.Á.T.U.R at Nordic Music Days 2017 received great attention and has for example
been mentioned as one of the concerts of the year, by Extreme chill. Also featured in articles in SEISMOGRAPH and Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.
The concert featured the premiere of the work Vocalise for electronic and performer. A documentation from the concert can be viewed in the video
below. Archived by Living Archives - Nordic Music Days 2016
Catchpenny Ensemble will perform the work Sculpture #3 at the festival Dag in de Branding on the 3rd of December 2016, at 7:30pm, Nutshuis, Den Haag, Holland.
The festival is dedicated to "the second Hague school" of composers. The work, Sculpture #3 was written while studying in Den Haag in 2011. It's an exploration of perception, of if sound can have sculptural side to itself.
Sunday 28th of November at 15:15. Duo Harpverk performs the work „Brú“ for harp and percussion at their concert within the concert series 15:15 at the Nordic House, Reykjavík. The concert is dedicated to the music of composers in the composers collective S.L.Á.T.U.R.
The film RELIEF" will be screened at Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival on the 28th of October 2016, at 2pm, Dělnický house, Prague.
The Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival is a celebration of creative documentary film and the largest event of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe. They approach documentary films primarily
as unique artworks dealing with significant topics.
The film RELIEF was made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson in 2015 and featured a performance of The Icelandic flute ensemble.
The exhibition Joining forces with the unknown runs until Sunday 23rd of October 2016.
At the exhibition, Studio Brynjar & Veronika
exhibit their Circle flute, project realized by flute maker Jean Yves Roosen.
For the final exhibition weekend, I will join the flutists Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid
in Paris, to collaborate on a fragmented performance which takes place between 14 and 22 on the 22nd and 23rd of October.
Admission to the exhibition is free.
The composer's collective S.L.Á.T.U.R partook in the music festival Nordic Music Days 2016 in Reykjavík last september. The collective
curated a concert with works by members of the collective. There amongst was the premiere of the work Vocalise for a performer and live electronics.
The concert was documented by Living Archives - Nordic Music Days 2016. Excerpts from the concert can be viewed in the video above.
Sunday 16th of October 2016 at 8pm. Percussionist Frank Aarnink and violinist Laufey Jensdóttir perform the works of Tom Johnson, Morton Feldman and Albert Schnelzer at their concert
in relation to the concert series Phonemes at Hafnarborg.
Watch the trailer for the concert above.
The circle flute by Studio Brynjar & Veronika is exhibited at the exhibition Faisons de l'inconnu un allié in Paris from 11th until the 23rd of October 2016.
There will be daily performances on the flute between 14-22, but during the final exhibition weekend. The performance will be in the hands of flutists Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid. Performing
materials from the devised music performance made in Flateyri this summer.
Admission to the exhibition is free.
Photo by Emile Barret
Vocalise, for a solo performer and live electronics, will be premiered 30th of September at 10pm, at the concert of S.L.Á.T.U.R in Harpa, Concert hall.
The concert is part of the Nordic Music Days 2016.
It is possible to glance through the festival program right after the trailer. Get your tickets at Harpa concert hall website.
Watch the trailer here or click on the image above.
Working on a devised work with flutists Bettina Danielle Berger, Bjørnar Habbestad, Marieke Franssen and Michael Schmid at Flateyri, Iceland. In relation to a project by Studio Brynjar & Veronika for Lafayette Anticipation. To be premiered in Paris in October 2016.
Composer and musician Ingi Garðar Erlendsson presented the Thranophone at the International Conference on Live Interfaces 2016 at University of Sussex, held 29th of June - 3rd of July 2016. Performing a duet along with trumpet player Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson.
Sunday 19th of June at 3pm. Assaf Gidron, Charlie Rauh, Jesse Greenberg,
Lester St Louis, Sasha Zamler-Carhart and Teodora Stepančić. Perform text scores, video scores and read poetry at an event at Spectrum, New York.
Music by Michael Pisaro, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Assaf Gidron, Teodora Stepančić among others, along with my audiovisual work, y=f(x), for pair(s) of performers from 2012.
Further on the event here.
Residing at Elektronmusik studion in Stockholm 2nd-11th of June. Developing a project related to the development of Thranophones. A music piece working with the mouth cavity as a resonant space.
Students of the course 'Timbre as material', hosted by the music department of Iceland Academy of the Arts, have since January explored the world of acoustics and ways to use the behaviour of sound in spaces and materials as medium. In recent weeks the students have been developing diverse projects that, among other things involves altering and extending classical instruments. in this final event for the course the students will present their projects and present of musical studies for these altered instruments.
The event takes place Wednesday 18th of May from 3-5pm in Sölvhóll (Music hall) at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Sölvhólsgata 13, 101 Reykjavík.
Admission is free, everybody welcome.
Guest lecturers of the course include musicians, visual artists, acousticians and instrument makers.
Tutors of the course were Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist and Þráinn Hjálmarsson, composer.
As part of the concert series of ensemble Fengjastrútur, Fengi, at the experimental music venue, Mengi. The second concert of the series Horizontal lines. Takes place Thursday 4th of May 2016 at 21. With premieres of new and recent works by Icelandic composers such as Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Gunnar Grímsson, Gunnar Karel Másson, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson and Ingi Garðarson.
This concert series is dedicated to the performance of "open scores" repertoire. A repertoire the ensemble has specialized in.
Members of Skark Ensemble perform the work "Lucid / Opaque" for violin, viola and violincello at a concert in relation to the festival Bodenseefestival 2016.
The concert takes place Saturday 30th of April at 17. More information is available here.
The ensemble performs two other concerts at the festival, focusing on music of Icelandic and Nordic composers.
Available online until 17th of July - Listen to the performance of the orchestral work "As heard across a room" (starts at 48:45) by Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ilan Volkov. Performed as part of the Tectonics Music Festival Reykjavík 2016 at Harpa Concert and Conference Centre, Reykjavík. Friday 15th of April 2016.
The recording was made and aired by the Icelandic National Broadcasting service's Rás 1
Since this was the fifth and last Tectonics festival in Iceland. I would like to send warm wishes to Ilan Volkov and the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and thank them for their great contribution to the cultural scene in Iceland with this festival. A festival that will be missed and in the future remembered with warm thoughts and feelings.
Icelandic Symphony Orchestra performs the orchestral work As heard across a room [2014] at the upcoming Tectonics Reykjavík Music Festival 2016 - held by the Orchestra, curated by Ilan Volkov.
The concert takes place in Eldborg concert Hall of Harpa, Reykjavík. Friday 15th of April 2016 at 20.
Tickets are available online at the website of Harpa Concert house.
A new concert series of ensemble Fengjastrútur, Fengi, at the experimental music venue, Mengi, starts with a concert Sunday 20th of March 2016 at 21. This concert series is dedicated to the "open scores" repertoire. First concert includes works by dear friends of the ensemble; Lucier, Oliveros, Wolff and Ashley along with premieres of new works by composers Áki Ásgeirsson and Gunnar Grímsson.
The second concert of the series will be held in Mengi - Thursday 5th of May 2016.
Sound excerpt and photos from the live happening of the in-situ performance Diptych [2015] is available online here! The performance took place in Kópavogur Asylum, last August as part of the CYCLE 2015 - Music and art festival. This performance was made in collaboration with Sigurdur Gudjonsson, visual artist,
Beautiful words by Gavin Gamboa for the I care if you listen (.com) magazine, on the third day of Dark Music Days 2016. Including a magnificent concert given by Nordic Affect.
"Thrainn Hjalmarsson's Lucid/Opaque for string trio contained beautiful meditative stillness; a glacial gravitas unfolding on the knife-edge of complete silence."
The whole concert by Nordic Affect is still available, until 9th of May 2016, online here
Cycle Music and Art Festival has been nominated for a local music awards (Icelandic music awards) as one of the highlights of 2015 in the category of contemporary and classical music.
Supporting their nomination, the jury of the awards remarked the in-situ performance, Diptych, made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurdur Gudjonsson and performed
by The Icelandic Flute Ensemble, as one of many enthralling events the festival offered.
Available online until 9th of May - Listen to the premiere of "Lucid / Opaque" (starts at 45:30) for baroque violin, -viola and -cello, in a wonderful performance given by Nordic Affect at DARK MUSIC DAYS 2016 at Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik. Saturday, 30th of January 2016.
The recording was made and aired by the Icelandic National Broadcasting service's Rás 1
A fine review appeared in the most distributed newspaper in Iceland on the performance of the work, "Influence of buildings on musical tone", given by CAPUT ensemble during the Dark Music Days 2016.
Music critic, Jónas Sen, wrote about the work:
"The work by Thrainn Hjalmarsson for six performers, Influence of buildings on musical tone was enthralling. […] The music was composed of tastefully interwoven noises and unclear tones. The total outcome resulted in an highly ambient and beautiful sounding colors that were charming."
Available online until 2nd of May 2016 - Listen (here) to a magnificent performance by CAPUT ensemble at DARK MUSIC DAYS 2016 that took place Friday, 29th of January 2016 at Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik.
CAPUT ensemble premiered four new works by four Icelandic composers, along with performing the work "Influence of buildings on musical tone" (2013) - for vln, vla., vlc.,db., perc., perc. (starts at circa. 36:30) - the work is an homage to the acoustics of turf houses.
The most common acoustic environment in Iceland for centuries.
The recording was made and aired by the Icelandic National Broadcasting service's Rás 1
SRF2 will be broadcasting a live recording of the orchestral work, As heard across a room [2014] performed by Basel Sinfonietta, conducted by Daniel Bjarnason, on the 24th of February 2016 at 22:00, Switzerland time. The concert took place 3rd of October 2015 in Tonhalle, Zürich,. The concert was held in relation to the festival CULTURESCAPES 2015 - ISLAND.
Nordic Affect premieres a new work for baroque violin, viola and cello at Dark Music Days 2016. The concert takes place at Northern Lights Hall in Harpa Concert Hall, 30th of January 2016 at 15.
CAPUT ensemble performs the chamber music work Influence of buildings on musical tone [2013] at Dark Music Days 2016. The work was
nominated to the ROSTRUM awards in 2014.
The concert takes place in Northern Lights Hall of Harpa Concert Hall, 29th of January 2016 at 20. Tickets available here.
2015 - New works premiered
Three new works were premiered in the year of 2015. This year focused on a collaboration with the visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson. Resulting in two separate works for The Icelandic flute ensemble, premiered in relation to Cycle 2015 - Music and Art festival.
27th of March 2015 - The Icelandic flute ensemble premiered the work Grisaille, for 12 flutes, at the International flute festival in Reykjavík.
13th of August 2015 - 11th of October 2015 - The video work Relief, made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson, was premiered and screened at Gerðarsafn Art Museum,Gerðarsafn in Kópavogur from 15th of August 2015 - 11th of October 2015. In relation to the music and art festival
Cycle 2015.
14th of August 2015 - In situ performance Diptych was premiered by the The Icelandic flute ensemble at Cycle 2015 - Music and art festival in Kópavogur Asylum.
Other performances worldwide
17th of May 2015 - Kristin Thora Haraldsdottir performed Persona, viola solo, at Dog Star Orchestra Festival in MorYork Gallery, Los Angeles, United States.
2nd and 3rd of October 2015 - Basel sinfonietta performed the orchestral work As heard across a room in two concerts in Stadtcasino, Basel (2nd of October 2015) and Tonhalle, Zürich (3rd of October 2015) in relation to the festival CULTURESCAPES 2015 – ISLAND.
Radio broadcasts
3rd of January 2015 - BBC Radio 3 broadcasted a recording of the orchestral work, As heard across a room from Hear and Now concert of BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra,
which took place in Glasgow, 4th of October 2014.
19th of April 2015 - Radio channel 1 of Icelandic Radio Broadcast broadcasted a recording of the work Grisaille from a performance of the The Icelandic flute ensemble at the Nordic House, 27th of March 2015.
11th of May 2015 - Recording of the work Influence of buildings on musical tone broadcasted in a special, night long, event dedicated to nomination to the ROSTRUM 2014 awards on Radio France. Hosted by Anne Montaron/Cyrielle Weber.
15th of May 2015 - Interview on the early works of Atli Heimir Sveinsson at the radio show Hátalarinn at Rás 1 of The National radio broadcast.
Lecturing based work / research
7th - 8th of February 2015 - Giving workshop and lecturing in collaboration with Halldór Úlfarsson at La Gaite Lyrique, Paris, France.
The topic of the Workshop was called Modular acoustic formant system, focusing on working on prediction in relation to acoustic filters, based
on the acoustics of vowels.
15th of May 2015 - Lecture at the Music department of The Iceland Academy of the Arts on the works of Atli Heimir Sveinsson during the period of 1960-1974.
11th of September 2015 - Participation in symposium at The Iceland Academy of the Arts on notation for Halldorophone. Part of LARM (Lab for artistic research in music).
13th of September 2015 - Artist talk in relation to the exhibition NEW RELEASE in Gerðarsafn Museum, Kópavogur.
14th - 24th of September 2015 - Lecturing/Teaching for two weeks on Sound Art within the visual art department of The Iceland Academy of the Arts.
Other collaborations
17th of April 2015 - Performance of the work Kúakyn í hættu by visual artist Magnús Pálsson for the Icelandic Sound Poetry Choir (ísl. Nýló-kórinn), Karlkór Alþýðu and The Icelandic
Symphony Orchestra - Arrangement for the orchestra done by Þráinn Hjálmarsson and Áshildur Haraldsdóttir. Conductor of the Icelandic Sound Poetry Choir and Karlkór Alþýðu: Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
18th of July 2015 - Improvisation gig with Fred Frith, Heike Liss, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and Jesper Pedersen at Mengi - concert venue.
21st of August 2015 - Improvisation gig with Ingi Garðar Erlendsson on Thranophone, in relation to the festival Upp rís úr rafinu at Mengi - concert venue.
15th of October 2015 - Performance of the work Kúakyn í hættu by visual artist Magnús Pálsson performed at the opening of the exhibition "RED SNOW" at the Nordic House. Performers were The The Icelandic Sound Poetry Choir (ísl. Nýló-kórinn) and Fengjastrútur. Conductor: Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
26th of November 2015 - Concert of the The Icelandic Sound Poetry Choir (ísl. Nýló-kórinn) at KEX hostel. Premiering works by visual artist Haraldur Jónsson, poet Jón Örn Loðmfjörð and composer Hörður Bragason. Conductor: Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) - concert series in 2015
The concert series Phonemes (ísl. Hljóðön) at Hafnarborg, included five concerts throughout the year.
4th of January 2015 - Siggi String Quartet premiered the second string quartet of Atli Heimir Sveinsson and a new quartet by Una Sveinbjarnardóttir, along with performing works of Giacinto Scelsi and Naomi Pinnock.
The premiere of Sveinbjarnadóttir's work was remarked as one of the musical highlights of 2015 by the critic of the largest news paper in Iceland, Fréttablaðið.
22nd of February 2015 - Hlín Pétursdóttir Behrens, soprano, Hrönn Þráinsdóttir pianist and Una Sveinbjarnardóttir violinist perform works by Kaija Saariaho and new works by Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir.
27th of March 2015 - Guitarist Gunnlaugur Björnsson and Hafdís Vigfúsdóttir perform the works of Halldór Smárason, Clarence Barlow, Toru Takemitsu and Einojuhani Rautavaara.
11th of October 2015 - Viola player and composer Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir performs the music theater work, Orðin [e. the words] by composer Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir.
15th of November 2015 - Flautist Emilía Rós Sigfúsdóttir and pianist Ástríður Alda Sigurðardóttir, performed various works extending or referring to poems of poets Sylvia Plath, T.S. Eliot, Thor Vilhjálmsson and Marcel Proust among other.
Performing works by composers such as Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Beat Furrer, Kaija Saariaho along with premiering a new wokr by composer and flautist Kolbeinn Bjarnason.
2016 - Upcoming premieres
New work for Nordic Affect at Dark Music Days 2016.
New work for Halldorophone
Residency at EMS elektronmusikstudion - working on a new vocal work
New work for Marco Fusi - viola d'amore
Research in 2016
Teaching along with visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson a course at the Iceland Academy of the Arts as an unformal continuation of the course
given in 2013-2014 on Acoustics and Instrumental design. The course will start on 27th of January 2016 and continue throughout the semester.
TBA - Publishing Method for Thranophone - introduction booklet for the instrument.
Flautist Emilía Rós Sigfúsdóttir and pianist Ástríður Alda Sigurðardóttir, perform music related to the poetry of Sylvia Plath, T.S. Eliot, Thor Vilhjálmsson and Marcel Proust among other.
Performing works by composers such as Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Beat Furrer, Kaija Saariaho along with premiering a new wokr by composer and flautist Kolbeinn Bjarnason.
The concert takes place Sunday 15th of November 2015 at Hafnarborg.
A 3 minute excerpt from a performance of Basel Sinfonietta, conducted by Daníel Bjarnason, of the orchestral work As heard across a room [2014].
The performance took place in Tonhalle, Zürich, in relation to the festival CULTURESCAPES 2015 - ISLAND.
Basel sinfonietta performed the orchestral work "As heard across a room" in two concerts in Basel and in Zurich in relation
to the Culturescapes 2015 - Island festival. The concerts received rave reviews. On the website
Bachtrack, critic Rolf Kyburz gave the
concert 5 stars. An english version of the review is available at his own website here.
The following is an excerpt from his review on the work As heard across a room as:
"[...] the composer manages to create the impression of noises and their echo, distant sounds, maybe not just from a the other side of the room, but like coming
from another room, almost visualizing acoustics — most unusual! Gradually, one hears breathy, distant melody fragments, sounds like from Aeolian harps, maybe allusions to a
distant Ranz des Vaches (Kuhreihen), glissandos, sound waves building up, like a hilly landscape in the distance — never loud, rather like the breathing of a fairy, associated
with breathy whistling tones: fascinating and enchanting!"
Viola player and composer Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir performs the music theater work, Orðin [e. the words] by composer Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir at Hafnarborg, Sunday 11th of October 2015 at 20. This 40 minute music theater performance is based on the book by poet Linda Vilhjálmsdóttir, Öll fallegu orðin, originally published in 2000.
The exhibition "NEW RELEASE", curated by Nadim Samman, at Gerðarsafn Museum will close 11th of October 2015.
The exhibition includes the work RELIEF which is a collaborative video work made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson, featuring a performance by Icelandic flute ensemble.
Admission to the Museum is free on Wednesdays.
Basel Sinfonietta performs the orchestral work As heard across a room on their season 2015/2016 opening concert in Stadtcasino, Basel on the 2nd of October 2015. The program will be repeated in Tonhalle, Zurich on the 3rd of October 2015.
This concert tour is part of the CULTURESCAPES festival which is this year dedicated to the culture of Iceland, conductor of the orchestra is the Icelandic conductor/composer Daníel Bjarnason.
As heard across a room was written for conductor Ilan Volkov and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchstra in 2014 and was premiered by the Orchestra at City Hall, Glasgow 4th of October 2014.
Video still from the work Relief (2015)
The exhibition "NEW RELEASE", curated by Nadim Samman, at Gerðarsafn Museum will be extended until 11th of October 2015. The work RELIEF is part of the exhibition.
In relation to the exhibition "NEW RELEASE", curated by Nadim Samman, I will be giving an artist talk about the work RELIEF which is part of the exhibition.
The event takes place at Gerðasafn Art Museum, Kópavogur, Iceland. Sunday 13th of September 2015 at 15. Free admission.
A forum on notation for the electro-acoustic instrument Halldorophone, will be held Friday 11th of September 2015 between 16-18 at Iceland Academy of the Arts, class room 533 at Sölvhólsgata 13, 101 Reykjavík.
Composers that have written music for this instrument share their knowledge and approach to this instrument in addition to an open forum on the instrument. Composers involved are Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Hafdís Bjarnadóttir, Johann Svenson and Timothy Page.
The forum is planned by the newly formed LARM (Lab for Artistic research in Music), located at the Iceland Academy of the Arts.
Promotional photo for the event
Thranophone-performer Ingi Garðar Erlendson and I will perform in Mengi, Friday 21st of August 2015 at 21, in relation to the music event "Upp rís úr rafinu".
The music event "Upp rís úr rafinu" has been held annually since 2013. The focus of the event is music by young composers exploring electronic music, with or without acoustic instruments. This year’s event will have a special emphasis on new experimental instruments, Erlendsson and I
will be exploring the possibilites of the instrument Thranophone.
Mengi is located at Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík. Admission is 2000 KR
Further on the event here.
Photos by Arnar Bergmann
Promotional photo for Diptych
Diptych is a live performance made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson and involving The Icelandic flute ensemble.
The live performance takes place in Kópavogur Asylum, which is currently being renovated. Its raw interior will inevitably add a voice into this multi-layered installation of sounds and visuals, which is intertwined with the musician's performance.
This performance is held in relation to the Music and Art festival Cycle. Further information on Cycle Festival can be found here.
Fred Frith and Heike Liss invite local friends to perform with them on their second concert in Mengi - concert venue in Reykjavík, 17th and 18th of July 2015. Members of S.L.Á.T.U.R collective will join them for an event startin at 21 on the 18th with composers Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Jesper Pedersen, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and myself.
Further information on this event can be found on the facebook event for the concert.
Video still from the work Relief (2015)
Relief is a video installation made in collaboration with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson with the performance of the Icelandic flute ensemble. The work will be exhibited at Gerðarsafn - Kópavogur Art Museum during the Cycle festival, held 13-16 of August 2015.
The online magazine Nordophile features an insight to the works of Guðjónsson and on our collaboration for the festival.
Further information on Cycle Festival can be found here.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, composer/viola player, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, composer/guitarist, Frank Aarnink, percussionist and I will perform Charles' work Boxed set from the year 2009 on the Jaðarber (e. Perrypherryberry)-event dedicated to the works of Charles Ross and celebrating his 50th birthday.
The concert takes place at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús, 8th of June 2015 at 8pm. Free admission.
Available to watch/listen online is the 2009 Live performance of Boxed set.
Preparing for the art- and music festival Cycle, held in Kópavogur August 13-16th 2015. The Icelandic flute ensemble will be a part of an exhibition made in collaboration with the visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, viola player, performs the work Persona for solo viola at a concert in the Dogstar Orchestra concert series, Dogstar 11. The concert, dedicated to Icelandic works for viola, takes place Sunday 17th of May at 2 pm at MorYork Gallery located at 4959 York Blvd, Los Angeles
Further information on the concert
In relation to the starting of a concert series focused on the early works of composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson. The radio show "Víðsjá" on Rás 1 - The National Radio Broadcast was dedicated to his music, with a group of artist coming and speaking about his work. See further in Icelandic here.
Í tengslum við upphaf tónleikaraðar tileinkuðum verkum við upphaf ferils Atla Heimis Sveinssonar voru þættirnir Hátalarinn og Víðsjá tileinkaðir tónlist Atla Heimis. Á meðal viðmælanda í þættinum auk Atla Heimis sjálfs þau Áshildur Haraldsdóttir flautuleikari, Guðni Franzson, klarínettuleikari, Kjartan Ragnarsson, leikstjóri, Melkorka Ólafsdóttir, flautuleikari, Arngunnur Árnadóttir klarínettuleikari og Þráinn Hjálmarsson tónskáld.
Hér má hlusta á fyrri hluta þáttarins [Hátalarinn] og hér má hlýða á seinni hluta þáttar [Víðsjá] - Hægt er að hlýða á til 13. ágúst 2015.
On May 15th at 13 at The Iceland Academy of the Arts, I will lecture on the early works of renowned Icelandic composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson.
Some of his works from this period has not been performed or recorded. The lecture is a part of a series of concerts / lectures on Atli Heimir Sveinsson´s groundbreaking compositions
from that time. The series is a collaboration of Mengi and the Icelandic Academy of the Arts. Curated by Borgar Magnason, double bassist.
Read further on the concert series and the event here.
The Lecture will take place in Sölvóll, concert hall of The Iceland Academy of the Arts at Sölvhólsgata 13, 101 Reykjavík. Free admission
Photo taken from the FB event, a page from the score "Mengi" by Atli Heimir Sveinsson.
A radio show on france musique hosted by Anne Montaron/Cyrielle Weber, dedicated to the ROSTRUM 2014, held in Helsinki in May 2014. A whole night dedicated to curious music, there amongst the work 'Influence of buildings on musical tone' for ensemble. The show will be aired the night of 10-11th of May 2015.
Rannsóknastofa í tónsmíðum boðar til kynningarfundar föstudaginn 8. maí kl.15:00 í Sölvhóli. Kynnt verður fyrirhuguð starfsemi rannsóknastofunnar, helstu áherslur og markmið.
Stofan beitir sér fyrir listrænum rannsóknum og er hugsuð sem gátt milli tónlistardeildar og sjálfstætt starfandi tónskálda, tónlistarfólks, listafólks og rannsakenda á sviði tónlistar. Þessu til stuðnings mun stofan skipuleggja málstofur, stuðla að þverfaglegri umræðu, efna til samstarfs og hanna námskeið.
Allir velkomnir. Þeir sem mögulega hafa áhuga á þátttöku í starfsemi rannsóknastofunnar eru sérstaklega hvattir til að mæta. Eftir kynningu og umræður kynna Þráinn Hjálmarsson og Halldór Úlfarsson eitt verkefni við stofuna.
The radio show "Úr Tónlistarlífinu" (e. live from the music scene) will broadcast a recording from the premiere of the work Grisaille for flute choir. The work was premiered by The Icelandic flute choir on their concert at the Nordic House 27th of March 2015. The radio show is aired 19th of April 2015 at 16:05.
The visual artist Magnús Pálsson has written a new work for the occasion of Tectonics 2015 Reykjavík Music festival that takes place in Harpa Concert House 16-17th of April 2015.
The Icelandic sound poetry Choir (ísl. Nýló-kórinn) collaborates with Karlakór Alþýðu and Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, performing Pálsson"s latest work, 'Kúakyn í hættu' on Friday 17th of April at 20 in Harpa, concert hall in Reykjavík.
Conductor of the choir and assistance of arrangement of the work is Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
Photo taken by Áshildur Haraldsdóttir, co-ordinator of the project.
The visual artist Magnús Pálsson discussed with the newspaper DV on his latest work, 'Kúakyn í hættu', transcribed for orchestra by Þráinn Hjálmarsson. The interview is available to read (in Icelandic) here.
Photo taken from the website of DV.
The final concert of season 2014/2015 of Phonemes concert series at Hafnarborg held 27th of March 2015. Guitarist Gunnlaugur Björnsson and Hafdís Vigfúsdóttir perform the works of Halldór Smárason, Clarence Barlow, Toru Takemitsu and Einojuhani Rautavaara.
The Icelandic Flute Ensemble premieres the work Grisaille [2015] for 12 flutes at their concert in the Nordic House, 27th of March 2015 at 20. Admission to the concert is free.
The Concert is a part of Iceland International Flute Festival which takes place 27-29th of March 2015.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of the Icelandic flute ensemble, taken at their concert on Reykjavík Arts Festival 2014.
Two radio show from 2008 on the works and life of author Steinar Sigurjónsson will be re-broadcasted on the National Radio Broadcast - Rás 1, this sunday 15th of March 2015 at 13 and on 22nd of March at 13.
This sunday, the documentary show, "Svipleiftur", gives an insight to the authors life and career.
Following Sunday 22nd of March, the radio theater play "Raddir úr djúpin" is based on the novel ‘Djúpið’ by the author Steinar Sigurjónsson, made by Jón Hallur Stefánsson.
The two radio shows include music by myself made in collaboration with composers Lydía Grétarsdóttir and Helga Ragnardsdóttir.
Hlekkur
Changing light and echoes marks the outline of the Phonemes concert in Hafnarborg, Sunday 22nd of February 2015 at 8 p.m.
Hlín Pétursdóttir Behrens, soprano, Hrönn Þráinsdóttir pianist and Una Sveinbjarnardóttir violinist perform works by Kaija Saariaho and new works by Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir.
Phonemes is a concert series at Hafnarborg, dedicated to presenting music by various contemporary composers from the 20th and 21st century with a focus on small settings of chamber music. Light is shed upon subjects of contemporary music today and the artistic research of composers in the abstract world of poetry of sounds. The name of the series, Phonemes, references the basic unit of language's phonology, phoneme, which can be combined and re-arranged with other phonemes in terms of forming meaningful units such as words or morphemes. Each concert is a combination of various phonemes that could or could not bring a meaning to the audience.
Visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson and I will run a workshop at Gaite lyrique in Paris, Saturday and sunday 7th and 8th of February 2015.
The workshop is called modular acoustic formant system, where the interest lies in predicting and trying out acoustic filters based on the acoustics of vowels. The workshop is based on a resurrected project from around 2012 with Halldór Úlfarsson. Originally conceived of as way to modulate the acoustic response of Thranophones. But now we are trying to work out a system to correlate this physical filter with composer Paul Falstad's software Vowel (which digitally models formants and their response) so that formants can be digitally modeled and then physically assembled with predictable results.
Halldór will give a lecture on his Halldorophones and I will be giving a lecture on the development of Thranophones.
Further information on the workshop on the website of Gaite lyrique
A radio broadcast on BBC Radio 3 of a concert given by BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ilan Volkov, from October 2014. The concert, titled Hear and Now: New Icelandic voices, included world premieres of new works by Icelandic composers Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Davíð Brynjar Franzson, Charles Ross and my orchestra work, As heard across a room [2014], along with older works by Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson and Anna Þorvaldsdóttir. The concert will be broadcasted on Saturday 3rd of January 2015 and will be available online right after the broadcast.
The concert received great reviews in the Guardian in October.
The score for the work As heard across a room is available for viewing at issuu.
Synthesis of 16 strings marks the outline of the concert of Siggi String Quartet at Hafnarborg on the 4th of January 2015 at 8 pm. The works on the program give insights to different approach to the string quartet form and remarks on its soundscape. With music by composers Giacinto Scelsi, Naomi Pinnock, Atli Heimir Sveinsson and Una Sveinbjarnadóttir.
The concert is a part of Hljóðön (e. Phonemes), a concert series dedicated to contemporary music at Hafnarborg.
2014 - New works premiered
Four new works were premiered in the year of 2014 and premiered in Scotland, Germany and Iceland.
Starting in February with the premiere of the work mise en scène, performed by Ensemble Adapter at Nordlicther Biennal festival in Berlin. The ensemble later performed the work at Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir during the summer.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, viola player, premiered the solo viola work Persona at the opening concert of Tectonics Glasgow 2014 - Glasgow at St. Andrews in the square in May. Later performed in Reykjavík at Kristín Þóra's solo recital at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús, in the concert series Jaðarber (e. Perripherryberry).
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra premiered the orchestra work As heard across a room at their concert "Hear and Now" in October. The concert will be broadcasted on january 3rd on BBC Radio 3.
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson, premiered the clarinet and electronic/visual work Study on timbre at Sláturtíð 2014 music festival.
Visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson and I finished post-production of the video work, Study for 2 resonant spaces, that was recorded in the summer of 2013. Watch the trailer below.
Click on image to learn more about Study for 2 resonant space
Other works performed worldwide
Among other performances that took place through the year was a performance of Meander: monody etudes by EDGES ensemble in Huddersfield in June. Students of James Saunders at Bath Spa University, performed the visual score work Sculpture #3 in November and the same work received it's US premiere by Dogstar Orchestra in Los Angeles back in June.
Lecturing based work / research
Halldór Úlfarsson and I led the course, Hljóðfræði IB, at Iceland Academy of the Arts throughout the year 2013 and 2014. The course was focused on the use of acoustics in artistic terms and among lecturers in our class was Alvin Lucier, who was the honorary guest of Tectonics 2014 Reykjavík festival.
The dialogue with students led to development and experiments with altered clarinet barrels and cello bridges, that was developed in collaboration with Hans Jóhansson, violin maker.
Composer Hallvarður Ásgeirsson is developing a feedback instrument from guitar parts, I met with the composer and got fascinated by the by-product of his instrument. See below.
Click on image to watch a video of a tryout with the Varðafónn
Performing music of others
As a performer, performing with Fengjastrútur ensemble, the works of Alvin Lucier at Tectonics 2014 Reykjavík festival in April. Working on the works such as Chambers, (Reykjavík) Memory Space, Vespers and Gentle Fire.
Performing the music of members of S.L.Á.T.U.R (composers collective) at Tectonics 2014 Glasgow with other members of the collective, the concert was held at the Fruit Market in Glasgow.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes)
The concert series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) at Hafnarborg held 3 concerts throughout the year, the concert of Siggi String Quartet was postponed until 4th of January 2015 due to weather storm on the original date of the concert.
2015 - Upcoming premieres
In march 2015, The Icelandic flute ensemble, premieres the work Grisaille for 12 flutes at an International flute festival held in Reykjavík. The work will later receive it's French premiere in spring.
In April 2015, Iceland Symphony Orchestra will premiere new work by visual artist Magnús Pálsson, that has been in development since last summer, I've been helping transcribing the work for the orchestra and collaborate with the poetry choir, Nýló-kórinn for the premiere in Eldborg at Tectonics Reykjavík festival 2015.
Summer 2015, will include a premiere of a solo viola d"amore work, written for viola d"amore performer Marco Fusi. Among with premiere of a solo Halldorophone work and a premiere of a collaborative work that has been in development with visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson for the upcoming Cycle festival 2015.
Research in 2015
Halldór Úlfarsson and I will give a masterclass in Paris in February 2015, connecting with local artists and sharing our experience with open-ended research as used in the course, Hljóðfræði IB, at the Academy of the Arts.
Publishing Method for Thranophone - introduction booklet for the instrument.
Click on image to watch the video
Video of a small study for clarinet with diverse clarinet barrels by Þorkell Nordal, a composition student at the Academy of the Arts, performed by a colleague of his, Stefán Ólafur Ólafsson, clarinet and composition student. This work is played on different clarinet barrels, developed by the students at the Academy.
Read about the experimental clarinet barrels here
Excerpt from a performance on Thranophone given by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson in Mengi, Saturday 15th of November 2014.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, viola player, performs the solo viola work ‘Persona’ on her solo recital, Winter Viola, in the concert series Jaðarber (e. Perripherryberry), Wednesday 19th of November at 20 in Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús. Admission to the concert is free.
The work, Persona, was originally premiered by Kristín Þóra at Tectonics Glasgow 2014 festival, held by BBC SSO in may 2014. This is Icelandic premiere of the work.
Article in the most spread news paper in Iceland, Fréttablaðið, on the concert of Ingi Garðar Erlendsson in Mengi, Saturday 15th of November 2014 at 21. Admission is 2000 KR.
Further on the instrument here
World’s leading Thranophone-performer, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, performs a solo recital on the instrument at Mengi - concert venue, located on Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík. Saturday 15th of November 2014.
The concert starts at 21 and admission is 2000 KR.
Following this winter is a printed publication of a “Method for Thranophones”.
Further on the instrument here
Students of composer James Saunders perform my work Sculpture #3 at a concert dedicated to animated notation at Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Spa University, UK on 12th of November 2014.
Among other works on the program are the works of Ryan Ross Smith and David Kim-Boyle.
Interview in Icelandic on the radio show ‘Hátalarinn’ (The episode is available online 90 days after being broadcasted) at the National Radio Broadcast channel 1. Aired on the 16th of October 2014. I discussed the then upcoming concert of Markus Hohti at Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) concert series in
Cellist Markus Hohti started the 2014-2015 season of Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) concert series at Hafnarborg with a concert on the 19th of October 2014. Markus performed on recently made Icelandic instruments by Hans Jóhannsson, violin maker and Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist. Works by composers Kaija Saariaho, Simon-Steen Andersen and Sami Klemola among premiering a new work by composer Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson for Halldorophone.
Photos were taken by Halldór Úlfarsson.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) concert series in Hafnarborg, is dedicated to contemporary music for small chamber setting. The year 2014/2015 includes four diverse concert in October, January, February and March. See further at the FB website.
Guardian’s critic on the orchestra work ‘As heard across a room’: “finespun, […] fun: sounds of somebody sorting through a cupboard, gently clattering about.”
Read the review here
Article on the rave reviews of the concert by the BBC SSO in the Guardian.
Read the article here [Icelandic]
Guardian’s critic on the orchestra work ‘As heard across a room’: “finespun, […] fun: sounds of somebody sorting through a cupboard, gently clattering about.”
Read the review here
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra premiered on October 4th the orchestra work, As heard across a room, the premiere is part of the ‘Hear and Now’ concert series, titled 'New Icelandic Voices’.
With works by other Icelandic composers such as Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, Davíð Brynjar Franzson, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson and the Icelandic-based Charles Ross.
The photo is taken from a rehearsal of the BBC SSO at City Halls, Glasgow.
Clarinetist Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson, premieres the work ‘Study on timbre’ for amplified clarinet and video at the music festival Sláturtíð 2014, held by the composer’s collective S.L.Á.T.U.R in collaboration with the concert series Jaðarber (e. Peripherryberry) at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús. The concert takes place Saturday 11th of October 2014 at 20.
Free Admission
Photo from a performance at Sharmanka Kinetic Theater at Trongate 103, Glasgow.
Performing with Ilan Volkov, Charles Ross, Gudmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Glasgow-based musicians Neil Davidson and Liene Rozite, as well as French classical ‘cellist Severine Ballon.
Photo by Татьяна Жаковская taken from SHARMANKA KINETIC THEATER - Facebook group
‘As heard across a room’ will be premiered by the BBC SSO on October 4th at 20, in City Hall, Glasgow.
About the concert:
“In this snap-shot survey of some of the exciting new work emanating from Reykjavík and the far north, the BBC SSO is conducted and presented by principal guest conductor Ilan Volkov, who is also chief conductor and music director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. To be recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3.”
Click here for (FREE) TICKET/EVENT INFORMATION
Presenting the outline of the upcoming Dark Music Days festival, that will take place in January 29th - 1st of February 2015. With a free event in Kaldalón, Harpa, from 14-14:45 on Reykjavík Culture Night, 23rd of August 2014.
Program:
Screening an excerpt from the film, ‘The Caravan Concerts’ by composer and flautist Berglind M. Tómasdóttir.
Violinist Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir performs Þuríður Jónsdóttir’s work, 'INNI – musica da camera’ for electronics and violin.
Click here for (FREE) TICKET/EVENT INFORMATION
Currently finishing the orchestra work ‘As heard across a room’ that will be premiered by BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at a concert in Grand Hall on October 4th 2014. Conducted by Ilan Volkov.
The work is the second I write for the occasion of an event of BBC SSO, where the premiere of the viola solo work, Persona, was premiered at the Tectonics Glasgow 2014 festival held by the orchestra last May.
From the program note of As heard across a room:
Click the image above to watch the trailer
Watch the trailer for the video work, Study for 2 resonant spaces, made in collaboration with visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist.
Stills from the video work 'Study for 2 resonant spaces’, made in collaboration with Halldór Úlfarsson, starring Frank Aarnink, percussionist of Duo Harpverk.
Final editing of the work Study for 2 resonant spaces, video work in collaboration with Halldór Úlfarsson.
In the beginning of June 2014: Recording session with Ensemble Adapter and Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, recording the works (MMXIV) mise en scène and Persona for an upcoming release.
Fjallaði um í Víðsjá um tónlist tónskáldanna Yannis Kyriakides og Andrzej Kwiecinski, en verk þeirra hlutu athygli á Rostrum, alþjóðlegu tónskáldaþingi. Aðgengilegt á netinu í 90 daga frá útvörpun. Sjá hér.
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Interview on the radio show Víðsjá at National Radio Broadcast - Channel 1 (Rás 1). Discussing the works of Andrzej Kwiecinski and Yannis Kyriakides, in relation to their works at the Rostrum.
Tuesday 17th of June 2014 at 1:15pm at in St Paul’s Hall, University Of Huddersfield, EDGES ensemble play a free concert of experimental works as part of the university’s Summer Showcase series, performing the work Meander: Monody etudes.
Meander: Monody etudes, is written for 4 performers, with animated notation. In the work, a figurative motif is expanded and repeated throughout the piece. The intention is to explore the different aspects of the same material, altering the focus of these sounds to the surface, to the rhythmic and to the ‘musical’.
Performers in EDGES ensemble are: David Pocknee, Maria Gkotzampougiouki, Joe Connolly, Phil Maguire, Alba Bru, Eleanor Cully, Asher Leverton
Review in LA Times by Mark Swed on a concert by Dog Star Orchestra which performed works by members of S.L.Á.T.U.R at Curved Line Space in L.A. last tuesday, the concert was curated and arranged by the composer and accordianist Daniel Corral. The group performed the work Sculpture #3 from 2011.
Ensemble Adapter perform (MMXIV) mise en scène at a concert in Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir Saturday 7th of June 2014 at 20. The concert is part of their annual festival FRUM which will be held the 9th time at Reykjavík Art Museum. The title of the concert is Lost and found and references the program, which includes older works by ‘lost’ nordic composers in blend with 'found’ music of the younger generation of nordic composers.
Entrance is 2000 KR / 1500 for students
Composer and musician Daniel Corral curates an upcoming concert of the The Dogstar Orchestra, at Curve Line Space in Los Angeles, Tuesday 3rd of June 2014 at 8pm, presenting works by members of the Icelandic composer’s collective, S.L.Á.T.U.R.
Performing my work Sculpture #3 for 6 performers, the work is audiovisual where the notation of the work is graphic animated notation visible for both audience and performers.
The concert is part of a concert series presented by Dog Star Orchestra, presenting 15 concerts around Los Angeles. Musicians in the Dogstar Orchestra are:
Matt Barbier, Eric Kenneth Malcolm Clark, Daniel Corral, Nicholas Deyoe, Liam Mooney, Jake Rosenzweig, Isaac Schankler, Stephanie Smith, Christine Tavolacci, Brian Walsh
Other composers on the program are:
Aki Asgeirsson, Þorkell Atlason, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Gudmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, Gunnar Karel Másson, Páll Ivan Palsson, Jesper Pedersen
Ensemble Adapter performs (MMXIV) mise en scène on the FRUM-festival, held by the group at Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir. Saturday 7th of June 2014. The work, mise en scène, was written especially for the group for their concert at Nordlichter festival held in Berlin last February.
Photo by Rut Sigurðardóttir, showing from left: Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson, Matthias Engler, Kristjana Helgadóttir and Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir.
Click on the image above to watch the video
The animated notation to the work y = f(x) is available to view online, with recording from the premiere of the work from Sláturtíð 2012 festival.
Picture from a concert of the flutist Áshildur Haraldsdóttir, held in a city bus saturday 3rd of May. The concert was related to Haraldsdóttir’s concert in the the concert series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes), that took place 27th of April 2014 in Hafnarborg, where Haraldsdóttir premiered new works by composition students of Atli Ingólfsson at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, composition that related to the soundscape of bus.
Composer involved from the Iceland Academy of the Arts were Daníel Helgason, Hrafnkell Flóki Kaktus Einarsson, Þorkell Nordal and Örnólfur Eldon Þórsson. Haraldsdóttir performed her own work, hugljómun í leið 1, and the work ‘Viva strætó’ by composer Skúli Halldórsson, former office manager at Strætó
Viola player and composer Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir premiered my new work Persona on the opening concert of Tectonics Glasgow 2014, festival curated by Ilan Volkov and Alasdair Campell, held by BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The concert took place 9th of May in St. Andrew’s in the Square in Glasgow.
The piece described by the blogger with the pseudonym Santiago’s dead wasp:
The photo is taken during a dress rehearsal.
The Icelandic national radio broadcast nominated the work Influence of buildings on musical tone [2013] for the International Rostrum of Composers (IRC), in the category of young composers under 30 years old.
IRC is an annual forum organized by the International Music Council that offers broadcasting representatives the opportunity to exchange and publicize pieces of contemporary classical music.
S.L.Á.T.U.R (Collective of artistically obtrusive composers around Reykjavík) partakes in the Tectonics Glasgow 2014 music festival, held by BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, curated by Ilan Volkov, with a concert dedicated to music written for events of the collective.
Performing music by composers Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and Þorkell Atlason.
The concert takes place in the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow, sunday 11th of May at 16:00.
It’s always an honor collaborating with the composer Christian Wolff, for the second time members of S.L.Á.T.U.R (Collective of artistically Obtrusive Composer around Reykjavík) work with Wolff’s work from 2007, Metal and Breath, performing it in a concert at Tectonics Glasgow 2014 on Saturday 10th of May at 21:30.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, viola player, premieres Persona, a viola solo work at the opening concert of the Tectonics Glasgow 2014 music festival, held by BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and curated by Ilan Volkov. Event information on the website of BBC SSO.
The concert takes place in St. Andrew’s in the square in Glasgow, friday 9th of May 2014 at 19:30.
Visual artist, Halldór Úlfarsson and I have been moderating a course at the Iceland Academy of the Arts where the connecting point of Acoustics and Music is researched.
An overview of the researches in the course can be found on this website.
Monday 5th of May at 16 in Iceland Academy of the Arts, Þverholt - in lecture room A (in the basement). The students from the course will present the researched done in the course, presenting projects such as an experimental clarinet barrel, designed by the students and as well experimental Cello Bridges.
The presentation takes place in Lecture hall A, at The Iceland Academy of the Arts Þverholt 11, 101 Reykjavík.
Free admission
As an upbeat to the performance of S.L.Á.T.U.R members at Tectonics Glasgow 2014 festival. The group will pre-premiere the performance in the concert venue Mengi, Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík.
On the program is Christian Wolff’s Metal and Breath from 2007 and works by S.L.Á.T.U.R members such as Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Jesper Pedersen, Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson, Páll Ivan frá Eiðum and Þorkell Atlason.
The concert starts at 21, admission is 2000 ISK
Free admission
Áshildur Haraldsdóttir flutist and Helga Bryndís Magnúsdóttir pianist perform works by Salvatore Sciarrino, Horatiu Radulescu, Sofia Gubaidulina, Yan Maresz, Taylan Susam and Áshildur Haraldsdóttir as well as premiering new works by students of Atli Ingólfsson at the Iceland Academy of the Arts; Daníel Helgason, Hrafnkell Flóki Kaktus Einarsson, Þorkell Nordal and Örnólfur Eldon Þórsson.
The concert takes place Sunday 27th of April 2014 at 20.
Tickets available here
The Honorary guest of Tectonics Reykjavík 2014 is Alvin Lucier. On this occasion, Fengjastrútur ensemble will be doing Icelandic premiers of Lucier’s works; Opera with Objects, Gentle Fire, Chambers and (Reykjavík) Memory Space.
Celebrating the arrival of Alvin Lucier to the Tectonics Reykjavík 2014 as a honorary guest, the radio show Víðsjá on channel 1 at the National radio spoke to various artists on the works of Lucier. Aired on 2nd of April 2014, only in Icelandic.
Thranophone performer Ingi Garðar Erlendsson is a member of the Kippi Kaninus band that has released a new album, Temperaments, through the label Mengi, available here.
The instrument appears on the album on few occasions, below is a performance of the band live on KEXP during Iceland Airwaves 2013.
Click on the image to watch a video of a performance by Kippi Kaninus, live at KEXP
Borgar Magnason, double bassist, and Páll Ivan frá Eiðum, performer and composer, perform music by Borgar Magnason, Páll Ivan, Earl Brown, Matthew Shlomowitz and visual artist Haraldur Jónsson at a concert in Hafnarborg this sunday, 9th of Marc 2014. The concert is part of the concert series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes).
The music on the program shares the performers interest in music notation and interpretation. The concert is a part of Phonemes, a concert series dedicated to contemporary music at Hafnarborg. Tickets available here.
Ensemble Adapter premieres the work (MMXIV) mise en scène at Nordlichter music festival in Berlin on the 28th of February 2014.
From the Nordlichter website:
„This year, the Ensemble Adapter presents experimental as usual new treasures of today’s Nordic Music with their new project ‘Lost and Found’. Three young composers on their way to an international career from Denmark, Iceland and Finland have written new pieces for Adapter that are premiered in this context. The three composers Simon Løffler (DK), Þráinn Hjálmarsson (IS) und Jouni Hirvelä (FIN) like experiments, and the result is three new opuses that arrange a meeting of traditional instruments like flute, clarinet, harp and drums on one side and effect pedals, electronic, cable and neon light effects on the other.“
Ensemble Adapter: Kristjana Helgadóttir (flute), Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson (clarinet), Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir (harp), Matthias Engler (percussion)
The exhibition Cadences of light and color, curated by Jón Proppé, deals with the crossover of visual art and music and is a part of the Visual Music festival in Reykjavík and opens 1st of February 2014 and runs until 13th of April 2014 in Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús.
Showcased in the exhibition is a comparison of the 2 written versions made of Magnús Pálsson’s Ævintýr, The original one from 1997 made by Pálsson and the re-made version, that Atli Ingólfsson and I did for the retrospective exhibition of Magnús during the the last Reykjavík Art Festival.
Pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir performs music for toy piano at her solo toy piano concert in the concert venue Mengi, Saturday 25th of January 2014 at 21. Located in Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík. Among works on the program is my work, Svíta from 2007. Admission is 2.000 KR
The exhibition Cadences of light and color, curated by Jón Proppé, deals with the crossover of visual art and music and is a part of the Visual Music festival in Reykjavík and opens 1st of February 2014 and runs until 13th of April 2014 in Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús.
Showcased in the exhibition is a comparison of the 2 written versions made of Magnús Pálsson’s Ævintýr, The original one from 1997 made by Pálsson and the re-made version, that Atli Ingólfsson and I did for the retrospective exhibition of Magnús during the the last Reykjavík Art Festival.
As a result of a course that Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist and I taught at the Academy of the Arts in Iceland last autumn. We’ve collaborated with Stefán Ólafur Ólafsson, student at the Academy and Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, composer on the development of new versions of Clarinet barrels. The design is 3D printed and has there now been made 7 different versions already.
The course was documented roughly on this website.
On the new year’s concert of S.L.Á.T.U.R (Society of Artistically Obtrusive Composers around Reykjavík), in the alternate concert venue, Mengi, placed on Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík. You can hear new works written for the use of these new clarinet barrels. The Concert takes place Friday 10th of January 2014, admission is 2.000 KR
Looking back - Projects in 2013
2013 has been an eventful year, performing and writing music, curating concert in brand new concert series, lecturing on my own music and giving lectures at the Academy of the Arts. This was the last year as a chairman of the Icelandic committee of the UNM music festival and the first year of the concert series Hljóðön, that started in Hafnarborg - Art Center.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes).
Phonemes is a new concert series at Hafnarborg, dedicated to presenting music by various contemporary composers from the 20th and 21st century with a focus on small settings of chamber music. Light is shed upon subjects of contemporary music today and the artistic research of composers in the abstract world of poetry of sounds. The name of the series, Phonemes, references the basic unit of language’s phonology, phoneme, which can be combined and re-arranged with other phonemes in terms of forming meaningful units such as words or morphemes. Each concert is a combination of various phonemes that could or could not bring a meaning to the audience.
NEW WORKS PREMIERED in 2013
3rd of February 2013, Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra premiered the work MMXIII, conducted by Ezequiel Menalled at the final concert of Dark Music Days 2013 at Northern Light Hall in Harpa, concert house in Reykjavík. The piece was aired by the National radio broadcast on the 11th of February 2013.
18th of April 2013, the work Influence of buildings on musical tone was premiered by members of Iceland Symphony Orchestra on the opening concert of Tectonics 2013 music festival. The work was aired live on the national radio broadcast.
13th of June 2013, Meander: monody etudes for 4 performers premiered at a concert in the concert series Ephemérè held in Studio Loos in Den Haag Holland. Performed by Karl Ingi Karlsson, Lovorka Holjevac, Rodrigo Parejo Mateos and myself.
12th of August 2013, DRAWING for piano, vln., vln, and vla. premiered at KAMMER music festival, performed by pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, violinists Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason and Guðbjörg Hlín Guðmundsdóttir and viola player Guðný Guðmundsdóttir.
OTHER PERFORMANCES in 2013
21st of August 2013, the work Brú for Harp and Percussion was performed at the UNM 2013 - New Music Performance festival in Oslo, Norway.
18th of October 2013,the work Svíta for Toy Piano was
PERFORMING in 2013
As the director of the ensemble Fengjastrútur, I’ve partaken in every concert of the group this year. The group started the year by performing music in relation to the Thranophone at a concert in Reykjavík Art Museum - see below under Thranophones.
In April, the group partook in Tectonics 2013 music festival in Reykjavík, and performed music by Christian Wolff, working with the composer on the works Metal and Breath (2007) and Pit Music (70’s), and performing work by Pauline Oliveros. As well performing it’s own concert performing works by composers of the composer’s collective S.L.Á.T.U.R at Northern Light Hall in Harpa on the April 20th.
On the 27th of March 2013, Fengjastrútur performed music by the composers Kunsu Shim and Gerhard Stäbler at a concert at Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir.
THRANOPHONES in 2013
27th of February 2013, a concert dedicated to Thranophones was held in collaboration with the concert series Jaðarber (e. Peripherry Berry) at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús. On the program, the instrument was put in context with music from the past such as icelandic premiers of music by Alvin Lucier and Steve Reich. In blend with music made for the instrument, by Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson and myself. Performers on the concert were: Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir, Halldorophone, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Thranophone and Fengjastrútur Ensemble
The label Úsland released an improvisational album with a special focus on the Thranophone. Seventh entry in a series of free improvisation recordings made by Úsland Records. No score. No pre-made decisions. No nothing. Recorded live at Úsland Recording Facility in Reykjavik, Iceland on April 7th, 2013. With the musicians and artists, Curver, Magnetic tape, empty vinyl records and electric circuits, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson: Thranophone, Ilan Volkov: Violin, Harp and other things and Óttar Sæmundssen: Double Bass
Other: Albert Finnbogason - Coordinator, recording, edit, mix and master, Tumi Árnason - Soul saviour, artwork and coordinator and Héðinn Finnsson - Album Cover
The album is available here.
PRESS in 2013
February 2013 - Music critic, Jónas Sen, writes about the work MMXIII, performed by Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra in February: “The piece was introvert, a bit ambient, beautifully made, delicate.“
February 2013 - Radio interview in Icelandic on Thranophones, in Víðsjá in February 2013.
27th of April 2013 - Short interview in relation to the beginning of the concert series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) in Morgunblaðið.
April 2013 - Short interview in Víðsjá in relation to the opening of the exhibition of Lúðurhljómur í skókassa at Reykjavík Art Festival in Reykjavík.
September 2013 - Radio interview about the concert series Hljóðön in Víðsjá.
October 2013 - Radio interview on Sláturtíð 2013 music festival in Ópus at the National Radio Broadcast.
26th of November 2013 - Article on the listening of music - aired on National radio broadcast on the show Víðsjá.
OTHER in 2013
23rd of May 2013 - 1st of September 2013 - The performance Ævintýr (1997) by the visual artist Magnús Pálsson was performed and documented as a part of the retrospective exhibition Lúðurhljómur í skókassa, that opened in Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús in relation to Reykjavík Arts Festival 2013. The composer Atli Ingólfsson and I remade and directed and re-arranged the performance which was performed by actors Bergur Ingólfsson, Katla Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, Sigurður Skúlason and Una Margrét Jónsdóttir.
23rd of April 2013 - Masterclass at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, lecturing on my own music and working process with animated notation.
25-27th of April 2013 - "YOUNG EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSERS” - Was one of the assistant at a workshop that was held by Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra where kids got the chance of composing music and have it performed by musicians.
16th of May 2013 - Partook in the conference Hugarflug, on the relationship of Art and Research, held by the Academy of the Arts. Where Me, Halldór Úlfarsson, Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir discussed Artist research-survival tactics: the pros and cons of relatively young art and technology discussion forum Lornalab.
11th of August 2013 - Moderator of a panel discussion on the blurred gap between Music and the visual art as a part of the KAMMER music festival 2013. Sitting in the panel are Matthias Engler, percussionist Markús Þór Andrésson, curator, Ólafur Ólafsson visual artist and Libia Castro, visual artist and Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, violinist and festival director of KAMMER.
September 2013, Sound research group of LornaLAB signs a collaborative deal with Music research center at the Academy of the Arts.
Sláturtíð 2013 website was designed by me, the festival is annual and since 2009 a special new look on the website has been designed. The website got a bit viral for it’s design.
October 2013, visual artist Halldór Úlfarsson and I, teach a course at the Academy of the Arts on the relationship of Engineering and Music in collaboration with the University in Iceland. Through the course, research is made on Cello bridges and Clarinet Barrels. The course is documented here. Further results will follow in the spring 2014.
2014
The year of 2014 starts with a premiere in Berlin on the 28th of February 2014, where Ensemble Adapter will premiere the piece MMXIV (mise en scène) at Nordlichter music festival.
New piece for Viola premiered by Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir at Tectonics 2014 festival in Glasgow.
Performing a medley of works from the catalogue of works by composers in the collective S.L.Á.T.U.R at Tectonics 2014 Glasgow on 11th of May 2014.
New work in the making in collaboration with the visual artist Sigurður Guðjónsson for the Icelandic Flute Ensemble, premiered in June 2014.
Publishing of a etude book on Thranophones in the spring of 2014.
New work for Orchestra premiered by BBC SSO on October 4th 2014.
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) 2014
Click on the image above to watch and listen to the work, Influence of buildings on musical tone [2013].
Listen to Influence of building on musical tone with score on youtube, uploaded by “incipitsify”
In collaboration with Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist, we teach a course at the Academy of the Arts in Iceland in collaboration with the engineering department at University of Iceland. The course is on the context of acoustic design and instrument building with use of FEA technique.
Our collaborators at the University are Dr. Fjóla Jónsdóttir and Dr. Rúnar Unnþórsson. The course is divided in 2 parts. First half was in October 2013 and the latter one will be during spring 2014.
We’ve been documenting the whole process roughly on this website. But this coming spring a more detailed results from the work will be presented there.
„Það er heilmikil vinna og hark að vera tónlistarunnandi og ná tengslum við þær ólíku hugmyndir sem eru í gangi“. Tónlistarpistill í Víðsjá sem útvarpað var 26. nóvember 2013. Nálgast má pistilinn hér.
A short article about music in the radio show Víðsjá, on Rás 1, The National Radio Broadcast.
The work, Svíta (2007), for Toy Piano, was performed by Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir at Sláturtíð 2013 Music Festival. A recording of it was aired in the radio show Ópus, hosted by Ingibjörg Eyþórsdóttir at National Radio Broadcast. In the episode I discuss a bit on the S.L.Á.T.U.R collective of composers in Reykjavík.
You can listen to Svíta by clicking the link [may expire in the future], it starts in minute 6:50
Menningarþáttur Rásar 1, Víðsjá, fjallaði um Tónlistarhátíðina Sláturtíð 2013 þann 16. október síðastliðinn.
Markmið hátíðarinnar er að kynna tónlist eftir meðlimi samtakanna auk annarra valinna samtímatónskálda en allt frá fyrstu Sláturtíð árið 2009 hefur S.L.Á.T.U.R. boðið erlendum gestatónskáldum að taka þátt í hátíðinni. Í ár eru erlendu gestirnir Daniel Corral frá Kaliforníu, Lars Graugaard frá Danmörku og listamannateymið Morten Minothi Kristiansen frá Noregi og Josh Ginsburg frá Suður-Afríku.
Hér má heyra umfjöllunina í heild [hlekkurinn er tímabundinn].
[ENGLISH]
Radio interview in relation to the annual Sláturtíð 2013 festival, held by S.L.Á.T.U.R, the interview is in Icelandic [the link may expire in the future].
Pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, performs the piece Svíta (2007) for Toy Piano at her first full length toy piano concert, held in relation to the Sláturtíð 2013 festival, which is the composers´collective S.LÁ.T.U.R. annual event. The concert takes place in Hafnarhúsid - Reykjavík Art Museum. Friday October 18 at 8 pm
Program:
Gunnar Karel Másson: New work
Ingi Gardar Erlendsson: New work
Hallvardur Ásgeirsson: New work
Páll Ivan Pálsson: New work
Thráinn Hjálmarsson: Suite (2007)
Atli Heimir Sveinsson: From Fingersongs (2006)
Fabian Svensson: Toy Toccata (in black and White) (2009)
Julia Wolfe: East Broadway (1996)
Sláturtíð 2013 - International music festival of S.L.Á.T.U.R is an annual music festival of S.L.Á.T.U.R., society of artistically obtrusive composers around Reykjavík, and will be held 16-19 October 2013.
Sláturtíð may be called a “short gallery opening”, where music of interest to the members of S.L.Á.T.U.R is performed as well as music by the members themselves.
Since the first Sláturtíð in 2009, S.L.Á.T.U.R. has invited guests form overseas to participate and this year the American composer Daniel Corral, the Danish composer Lars Graugaard, the Norwegian composer Morten Minothi Kristiansen and the South-African visual artist Josh Ginsburg will visit the festival.
There will also be concerts by longtime collaborators of S.L.Á.T.U.R. such as the Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir and Ensemble Fengjastrútur. The festival concludes with a dance party in the style of rave festivities of the last decade of the 20th century.
From left: Kjartan Ólafsson, on behalf of Academy of the Arts, Halldór Úlfarsson and Þráinn Hjálmarsson on behalf of Sound Research group of LornaLAB.
Sound research group of LornaLAB now collaborates with Music Research center at Iceland Academy of the Arts. Within the Sound research group of LornaLAB are instrument makers such as Halldór Úlfarsson, Hans Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Þráinn Hjálmarsson among many more.
News feed in Icelandic on the website of Academy of the Arts.
Viðtal í Víðsjá [hlekkur gæti verið tímabundinn] vegna tónleika Hljóðön, sunnudagskvöldið 15. september 2013. Á tónleikunum flytja þau Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir víóluleikari og Grímur Helgason klarínettuleikari verk eftir Kristínu Þóru, Bergrúnu Snæbjörnsdóttur, Gérard Grisey, Luciano Berio og Mario Lavista.
[Interview in Icelandic regarding the concert series Hljóðön in Hafnarborg]
Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) - concert series at Hafnarborg.
Phonemes is a new concert series at Hafnarborg, dedicated to presenting music by various contemporary composers from the 20th and 21st century with a focus on small settings of chamber music. Light is shed upon subjects of contemporary music today and the artistic research of composers in the abstract world of poetry of sounds. The name of the series, Phonemes, references the basic unit of language’s phonology, phoneme, which can be combined and re-arranged with other phonemes in terms of forming meaningful units such as words or morphemes. Each concert is a combination of various phonemes that could or could not bring a meaning to the audience. The concert series is sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.
Artistic director is composer, Þráinn Hjálmarsson
Program 2013-2014
Sunday 15th of September 2013, 8 pm - Prologues
Grímur Helgason, clarinet, and Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, viola, perform music by Gérard Grisey, Luciano Berio and Mario Lavista, as well as premiering new pieces by Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir and Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir. The music on the program invites the listener to explore prologues, beginnings without an end.
Sunday 17th of November 2013, 8 pm - Music within languages
Concert with vocalist Marie Guilleray and pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir. The program includes music by Peter Ablinger, Georges Aperghis, Cathy Berberian, Luciano Berio, Marie Guilleray, Atli Ingólfsson and others.
Sunday 9th of March 2014, 8 pm - notation and interpretation
Borgar Magnason, double bass, and Páll Ivan frá Eiðum, performer and composer, perform music by James Tenney Matthew Shlomowitz, Cornelius Cardew, Borgar Magnason and more. The music on the program shares the performers interest in music notation and interpretation. The concert is a part of Phonemes, a concert series dedicated to contemporary music at Hafnarborg.
Sunday 27th of April 2014, 8 pm - “Phonemes”
Áshildur Haraldsdóttir, flautist, and Helga Bryndís Magnúsdóttir, pianist, perform works by Salvatore Sciarrino, Beat Furrer, Sofia Gubaidulina, Taylan Susam, Áshildur Haraldsdóttir, among there are new works by composition students of the Academy of the Arts, where they present works based on the ideas of phonems.
The work, Brú, originally written for Duo Harpverk, [Harp and Percussion] will be performed at UNM 2013 - New Music Performance festival, August 21st at 19:30 at NMH, Oslo, Norway.
Panel discussion on the blurred gap between Music and the visual art as a part of the KAMMER music festival 2013. Sitting in the panel are Matthias Engler, percussionist Markús Þór Andrésson, curator, Ólafur Ólafsson visual artist and Libia Castro, visual artist and Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, violinist and festival director of KAMMER.
Moderator is Þráinn Hjálmarsson
The panel will be held at the Nordic House in Reykjavík, 11th of August at 13:30. FREE ADMISSION!
Premier of the piece “Drawing” written for KAMMER - music festival performed at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús, 12th of August at 20. Performed by Bjarni Frímann Gunnarsson, vln., Viktor Orri Árnason, vln., Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, vla. and Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, pno.
Among other works on the program are works by the visual artists, Marcel Duchamp, Alison Knowles, Takehisa Kosugi, Dick Higgins and Olof Nicolai, and works by John Cage, Helmut Lachenmann.
Links
About the concert at Reykjavík Art Museum’s website
Facebook event
KAMMER - festival wesbite
Click on the image above to watch the interview on vimeo
Interview [in Icelandic] on the performances of Magnús Pálsson in relation to the retrospective exhibition in Reykjavík Art Museum; Sound of a buggle in a shoebox, showing until 1st of september 2013.
Currently working on a video installation in collaboration with Halldór Úlfarsson, visual artist. We’re working on a comparison of acoustics in various spaces.
Photo taken during the sketching phase of the project - photo by Halldór Úlfarsson.
The retrospective of Magnús Pálsson’s performances, the exhibition Sound of a bugle in a shoebox opened last may in Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús, as a part of Reykjavík Arts Festival 2013, the exhibition is open throughout this summer. At the exhibition it is possible to watch a documentation of the piece “Ævintýr” that took place 23rd of May. The work was re-arranged and directed by myself and Atli Ingólfsson, composer, performed by Bergur Ingólfsson , Katla Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, Sigurður Skúlason, Una Margrét Jónsdóttir.
The exhibition is open during the opening times of the museum - everyday from 10:00 to 17:00 and on Thursday from 10:00 to 20:00.
Picture taken from Greipur Gíslason’s instagram
A new piece, MEANDER: Monody etudes, for 4 performers will be premiered along with a performance of the work y = f(x) for 2 flutes, since 2012 and a piece by Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, composer.
Performers are Rodrigo Parejo Mateos, Karl Ingi Karlsson, Lovorka Holjevac and myself
Screenshot from the animated notation score below.
The visual artist Magnús Pálsson (b. 1929) has for the last 30 years been working with language as a musical material, his works rumble between the content of a story and the use of language in such a matter that only the outer surface (musical sites) appears to the perception.
Reykjavík Art Museum in collaboration with Reykjavík Arts Festival 2013 runs a retrospective dedicated to his performances, called Lúðurhljómur í skókassa. On the exhibition there will be re-made performances of Pálsson through the years and one of them Ævintýr (e. Folk Tale) written for 4 actors is there amongst.
Folk tale by Magnús Pálsson is based on an Italian folk tale retold by Italo Calvino. In this version arranged by composers Atli Ingólfsson and Þráinn Hjálmarsson, the work is approached from the vantage point of the music inherent in language, a recurring theme in Pálsson’s performances.
Performers are the actors Bergur Ingólfsson, Katla Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, Sigurður Skúlason and Una Margrét Jónsdóttir. Arranged and directed by Atli Ingólfsson and Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
Event information
Ticket sale
The conference on the relationship between Art and Research, Hugarflug, takes place at the Academy of the Arts, 16-17th of May 2013.
On may 16th at 11-12:30, Halldór Úlfarsson, Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir and myself discuss Artist research-survival tactics: Lornalab in room 201 at the Academy of the Arts, Þverholt 11, Reykjavík.
Discussing the pros and cons of relatively young art and technology discussion forum Lornalab.
Founded in 2010 LL is a DIY, crowd-sourcing, knowledge-sharing resource for artists and those interested in the creative use of technology. Occasionally the projects of members require “real” science, engineering, programming etc. In those instances we have had to be creative about how to fund and structure access to relevant professional to solve those problems…
We propose that there is a real need for a flexible coupling between the creative and scientific strata in Iceland and that such a solution would be inspiring and beneficial to both groups.
Iceland Academy of the Arts
Program of Hugarflug 2013 [In Icelandic]
Facebook event of Hugarflug 2013
Ingi Garðar Erlendsson and I have been studying the Thranophone #2 with Tuba-resonance cavity. Our first result of our seminar with the instrument resulted in Ingi Garðar’s Study for Thranophone, premiered at a concert dedicated to the instrument at Reykjavík Art Museum february 27th 2013.
Our studies on the instrument includes going through techniques on the instrument and how to practice on the instrument and as well write for it. One half of making an instrument is do build it and realize it, the other part is making the instrument’s vocabulary, making an performance practice.
These etudes are made for instrumentalists and as well for composers, the etudes focus on various takes on the instrument such as voluming, glissandos, “nibble effect”, intonation and more. The etudes will be published in a book later on.
For Tuba players interested in extending their Tuba playing into Thranophoning, you can contact us to get further information on how to proceed.
Thranophones
Hljóðön (e. Phonems) is a new concert series dedicated to contemporary music starting at Hafnarborg Art Center in Hafnarfjörður.
The first concert of the series is with Frank Aarnink, percussionist and Una Sveinbjarnardóttir, violinist. Performing works by Iannis Xenakis, Morton Feldman, Györgi Kurtág, Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and Atli Heimir Sveinsson.
Artistic director of the series is Þráinn Hjálmarsson
About the concert [Icelandic]
Hafnarborg - Art Center
Flyt erindi um eigin listsköpun í Masterklassi tónsmíða við Listaháskóla Íslands þriðjudaginn 23. apríl 2013 kl. 15. Á meðal þess sem komið er inná er notkun hreyfinótna í tónsköpun, kynning á hljóðfærinu Þránófóni, sem og þeim verkefnum sem eru í farvatninu síðar í vor.
[ENGLISH]
I’ll be giving a Masterclass at the composition department at Iceland Academy of the Arts, Tuesday 23rd of April at 15:00.
Discussing some of my works, thoughts and ideas, as well as mentioning usage of animated notation in my works and on the development of the instrument ‘Thranophone’.
Seventh entry in a series of free improvisation recordings made by Úsland Records. No score. No pre-made decisions. No nothing.
Recorded live at Úsland Recording Facility in Reykjavik, Iceland on April 7th, 2013.
The album is available here.
Musicians:
Curver: Magnetic tape, empty vinyl records and electric circuits
Ingi Garðar Erlendsson: Thranophone
Ilan Volkov: Violin, Harp and other things
Óttar Sæmundssen: Double Bass
Other:
Albert Finnbogason - Coordinator, recording, edit, mix and master
Tumi Árnason - Soul saviour, artwork and coordinator
Héðinn Finnsson - Album Cover
The performance of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra of the piece Influence of buildings on musical tone was broadcasted live on the National radio broadcast. Available for the next 2 weeks online here the piece starts at 6:55.
Hér má einnig heyra viðtal í Víðsjá um verkið, hljómsveitina Fengjastrút og um hátíðina Tectonics
Links
Recording of “influence of buildings on musical tone” - starts at 7:30
Interview online in Icelandic on Tectonics, the piece and the ensemble Fengjastrútur
Acoustics of buildings is one of the most influential part on music history, the dialogue between the performer and the acoustics is crucial in the development of musical forms, from that dialogue ideas on orchestra sizes and uses (and making) of instruments has been developed.
Influence of buildings on musical tone, premiered by members of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra on the opening concert of Tectonics 2013, which takes place in Eldborg concert hall of Harpa, Reykjavík, April 18th at 19.
Concert information
Ticket information
Tectonics 2013
Screenshot from prepatorial stage of a project on Reykjavík Arts Festival 2013 with composer Atli Ingólfsson. Premiered 18th of May 2013.
Available on the website of Thranophones are recordings of the pieces Lohanimalia by Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, 294° by Áki Ásgeirsson and Study by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, performed at concert held in February dedicated to the instrument.
Shortly to follow in coming weeks are instrument etudes for Thranophone #2 with Tuba as a resonance cavity.
Fengjastrútur ensemble performs works by Gerhard Stäbler and Kunsu Shim at upcoming concert in Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir, Wednesday 27th of March 2013 at 20.
Fengjastrútur alters in sizes and at the concert be Gunnar Grímsson, Þráinn Hjálmarsson, Hafdís Bjarnadóttir, Gudmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Gunnar Karel Másson and Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir
A new piece, Influence of buildings on musical tone, will be premiered at Tectonics 2013 music festival by members of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. The concert takes place in Eldborg concert hall of Harpa, Reykjavík.
Tectonics festival is held april 18th-20th 2013 for the second time. During the festival 23 events are held during the 3 days, with music by Christian Wolff, People like us, Jerry Hunt, Pauline Oliveros, Hildur Ingveldadóttir Guðnadóttir, Atli Ingólfsson and more.
Festival pass can be bought for the whole festival and costs only 5.000 ISK
Tectonics 2013
Icelandic Symphony Orchestra
March 10th 2013 at 20 at Hafnarborg - Art Center. Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, pianist and Marie Guilleray, vocalist perform works by Morton Feldman, George Aperghis, Peter Ablinger, Cathy Berberian, Luciano Berio and Marie Guilleray. The music on the program is themed on music using “language as a musical material”.
The concert is part of a new concert series starting in Hafnarborg Art Center, dedicated to contemporary music with a focus on artistic research and contextual works.
An interview (in Icelandic) in the radio show Víðsjá on the National Radio Broadcast in Iceland. On the instrument Thranophone. Photo by Dagur Gunnarsson. [Link may be broken]
Click on the image above to watch the trailer
Works by Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Alvin Lucier, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Steve Reich and Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
Performers are Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Thranophone #2, Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir, Halldorophone, Magnús Jensson, Thranophone #1, Gunnar Karel Másson, Thranophone #1 and Fengjastrútur
Recording from the premiere of MMXIII, performed by Reykjavík chamber orchestra, at the final concert of Dark Music Days 2013, was aired this evening, in the radio show Ópus on National Radio Broadcast.
The show is available for listening online for 2 weeks, click on the link here [MMXIII starts at 19 minutes in]
Recording from the premiere of MMXIII, performed by Reykjavík chamber orchestra, at the final concert of Dark Music Days 2013, was aired this evening, in the radio show Ópus on National Radio Broadcast.
The show is available for listening online for 2 weeks, click on the link here [MMXIII starts at 19 minutes in]
A whole concert dedicated to the electro-acoustic instrument Thranophones will be held at a Jaðarber (e. Perripherryberry) concert at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús, Wednesday February 27th at 20.
On the program, the instrument will be placed in context with music from the past such as icelandic premiers of music by Alvin Lucier and Steve Reich. In blend with music made for the instrument, by Áki Ásgeirsson, Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson and myself.
Performers on the concert are: Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir, dorophone, Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, Thranophone and Fengjastrútur Ensemble.
FREE ADMISSION
The work MMXIII will be premiered by Kammersveit Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík Chamber Ensemble) at the final concert of the music festival Myrkir Músíkdagar 2013 (e. Dark Music Days 2013). The concert takes place at the Northern Lights Hall of Harpa, Reykjavík.
Other pieces on the program are by composers such as György Kurtág, Jónas Tómasson, Charles Ives, Steingrímur Rohloff and Alejandro Castaños.
Looking back - Projects in 2012
It’s about time to summarize the work done this year and look forward towards the upcoming year. 2012 has been full of various and great projects, varying from teaching, being a festival director, writing music, artistic research on Thranophones and lecturing.
Outlooks of 2013
The outlook of the upcoming year is quite busy and some things are left unsaid where they aren’t fully confirmed at the moment.
Other projects 2013/2014
New work for the Icelandic Flute Ensemble
Bókverkið Bók um bók og fleira kemur út í dag, 21. desember 2012 hjá bókverkabúðinni Útúrdúr. Bókin kom fyrst út árið 1980 og er afrakstur samtals Magnúsar Pálssonar og nemenda hans í nýlistardeild í Mynd- og Handíðarskólanum á sínum tíma. Umræðuefnið var bókin sjálf og eiginleikarnir hennar.
Í tengslum við verkefnið fundust upptökur upptökur frá undirbúningi bókarinnar, hlusta má örlítið brot hér.
ENGLISH
I collaborated with the bookstore Útúrdúr on re-publishing the book Bók um bók og fleira (mostly in Icelandic) which Magnús Pálsson, visual artist and his students at the art academy published back in 1980. The book is a discussion on books and how they can be conceptually expanded. The book gives an insight to Magnús’ teaching methods and how he sees the importance of artists collaborations.
Fengjastrútur will perform the music of Pauline Oliveros at Jaðarber-concert, saturday Nov 24th at 15 placed at Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir.
Pauline will be present via internet and will give short speech on deep listening. For preparation for the concert Fengjastrútur has been doing deep listening exercises in preparation for performing the pieces.
S.L.Á.T.U.R will have a Workshop and two Concerts at the Nov~Fest of GEIGER-festival at Cinnober Theater, Gothenburg, Sweden, 16-18th of November 2012, the festival is held by GEIGER, which is a socitey for contemporary music and electronica in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Members of S.L.Á.T.U.R that will be present are: Bára Sigurjónsdóttir, Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson, Jesper Pedersen, Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, Páll Ivan Pálsson and Þráinn Hjálmarsson.
On the Workshop
We’ll discuss the use of notating/instructing music/performance, looking for the the link between information and output. Notation as a means of creating new musical expression. Creating and executing scores in the broadest sense. Beginners and experts welcome
Program
Click the image above to watch
Excerpt from a performance by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson on Thranophone #2: Requiem, as a part of the concert “Sounds of Soloists”, held at the Living Art Museum in Reykjavík, 11.11.2012
Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, composer and Thranophone-instrumentalist, will perform on Thranophone #2: Requiem at the Living Art Museum - Sunday, November 11th at 20.
The program is called “Sounds for soloists” - „a performance tour dedicated to a selection of acclaimed artists, who have invented their own language or instrument and perform solo.“ Other artists beside Ingi will be Anders Lauge Meldgaard, Cia Rinne, and a Rawlings. Further on the performance tour here [English] and here [íslenska].
Click the image above to watch the video
Raw video of the performance of y=f(x) , performed at Sláturtíð 2012, October 27th 2012. Performed by me and Martial Nardeau, flautist.
An Improvisation concert with Charity Chan, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson and more at Bókakaffið, Austurvegur 22, Selfoss, Iceland. Free admission!
A group of members from S.L.Á.T.U.R attend the GEIGER-festival held in Gothenburg throughout whole November 2012, with Concerts and Workshops in relation to Cinnobear Theater in Gothenburg and the festival itself.
Viðtal ásamt Charity Chan í Víðsjá um Sláturtíð 2012 - tónlistarhátíð S.L.Á.T.U.R, sem haldin er 24.-27. október 2012 í samstarfi við Jaðarber, Reykjavík Art Museum and LornaLAB
ENGLISH
Interview in the radio show 'Víðsjá' at the National Radio Broadcast, channel 1 - Discussing the music festival of S.L.Á.T.U.R - Sláturtíð 2012.
The piece y=f(x) for 2 flutes will be premiered at the Sláturtíð 2012 - international music festival of S.L.Á.T.U.R, on October 27th at 20 at Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús. In collaboration with Jaðarber concert series.
ENGLISH
Interview in the radio show 'Víðsjá' at the National Radio Broadcast, channel 1 - Discussing the music festival of S.L.Á.T.U.R - Sláturtíð 2012.
Heimsókn í Tónlistarklúbbinn ásamt Hilmari Erni Hilmarssyni, tónskáldi. Þátturinn er í umsjón Margrétar Sigurðardóttur.
Þátturinn er fluttur á Rás 1, þriðjudaginn 21. ágúst, kl. 14:03, endurfluttur, sunnudag 24. ágúst, kl. 20:0
Hægt er að nálgast upptöku af þættinum í allt að fjórar vikur á heimasíðu RÚV.
[ENGLISH]
Guest at the radio show „Tónlistarklúbburinn“ at Radio Rás 1 at the National Radio Broadcast show.
UNM 2012 - Music Innovation, held 28th of August until 1st of September 2012 in Reykjavík, check out festival website here. Also on Facebook here.
The Exhibition “Volumes for Sound” by Melissa Dubbin and Aaron S. Davidson is exhibited under the umbrella-exhibition “(i)ndependent people” as a part of Reykjavík Art Festival 2012. During their exhibition they invite sound artist to perform within their exhibition using the speakers involved in the exhibition. S.L.Á.T.U.R arranges one concert and will include members such as Ríkharður H. Friðriksson, Jesper Pedersen, Hallvarður Ásgeirsson, Páll Ivan Pálsson, with guest appearance of Christoph Schiller and Loic Grobéty.
The concert of S.L.Á.T.U.R takes place on the 19th of June at the Living Art Museum [Nýlistasafnið], RVK at 20.
Free Improvisation-concert with Christoph Schiller, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson and Jesper Pedersen at Ingólfsstræti 10, RVK at 17 on 16th of June 2012.
The Event on Facebook [Christoph Schiller in Iceland]
Sketch from the developing stage of a composition for a duet, anitation score, carrying the working title y=f(x). Premiered in Sept/Oct 2012.
The visual artists Jóna Hlíf Halldórsdóttir and Hlynur Hallsson invite various artist to the discussion on 'systems'through their paper Blatt Blað and an exhibition, parallel to the outcome of that paper, 7 lectures will be held by various artists on ‘systems’ during the exhibition.
The exhibition opens in hall B of Hafnarhús in Reykjavík Art Museum
Document of the lecture will be shown in the exhibition space until the end of the exhibit in september.
The exhibition is a part of a larger exhibition, (i)ndependent people in collaboration with Reykjavík Art Festival 2012
The last show of this winter of the radio show Ópus on Rás 1 (national radio broadcast), by Ingibjörg Eyþórsdóttir. will be dedicated to the upcoming UNM festival, held in Reykjavík, 28th of August until 1st of September.The festival has launched a website and will be a grand festival. Held in collaboration with many various institutions and groups in Reykjavík.
Telling listeners about the upcoming UNM 2012 - Music Innovation music festival, held in Reykjavík, 28th of August-1st of September 2012.
snemmendis is a lecture/performance made in collaboration with Bryndís Björnsdóttir, visual artist, on the works and ideology of visual artist Magnús Pálsson. The lecture will be takes place at the conference Art in Translation.
The biannual conference Art in Translation is a conference on the relation on the Language and the arts held by the University of Iceland and the Nordic House
The lecture takes place Saturday, 26th of May at 10:30 at Askja, room 130 [University of Iceland]
Sculpture #3 performed at SPOR festival 2012, the concert will take place at Granhöj Dans, Aarhus, Denmark on the 13th of May at 17. As part of a S.L.Á.T.U.R concert held on the festival.
Birthday concert of Duo Harpverk, celebrating their 5 years of hard work, where lots of new pieces for this combination, Harp and Percussion, have been made especially for them. A truly productive and great duet of Katie Buckley, harp, and Frank Aarnink, percussion.
The work, Brú, has been slowly in development and follows the use of notation as an instrument and part of the composition. Working with layerings of tempis in moiré-patterns.
The concert will take place at Iðnó in Vonarstræti, 23rd of april 2012.
Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir performs Svíta [2007] f. Toy Piano. on the concert ’Grams - concert with toys and games’, as a part of Jaðarber concert series. 28th of March 2012 at 20 at Kjarvalsstaðir - Reykjavík Art Museum. Free admission.
Click on the image above to watch the video
Video of the measurement process of Thranophone-formant
Screenshot from an upcoming piece to be premiered in April.
Picture of frequency response measurement of Thranophone-formant. With great help of Ari Ólafsson and Marian Siarov at University of Iceland.
Fengjastrútur rehearsing Charles Ross’ piece ‘The Ventriloquist’ for performance 3rd of March 2012 on Tectonics music festival. Picture taken by Ríkharður Friðriksson
The piece MMXII (for 2 db. and perc.) will be premiered at the Tectonics music festival 2012 - curated by Ilan Volkov, proudly presented by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Concert will take place in Norðurljós, concert hall in Harpa. Saturday 3rd of March at 21. Tickets should be available online through midi.is
A radio show made by Jón Hallur Stefánsson on the life of the writer Steinar Sigurjónsson, since 2008 or so, re-played on Rás 1 on the National radio broadcast (RÚV). Thursday 12th of January 2012 at 22:20. The show is in Icelandic.
A website about an up and coming field of interest amongst composers today.
Synthetic Thranophone - JAVA application - works only on Mac.
Send an e-mail to thrainn.hja [ a t ] gmail [ d o t ] com to get a copy and further info.
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
