APRIL 1-17, 2017

CURATED BY DANĺEL BJARNASON AND ESA-PEKKA SALONEN 

PROGRAM INCLUDES:

SIGUR RÓS PERFORMING WITH LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC FOR THE FIRST TIME 

MUSIC FROM BEDROOM COMMUNITY’S WHALE WATCHING TOUR

PERFORMANCES FROM JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON, SCHOLA CANTORUM REYKJAVĺK, NORDIC AFFECT AMONG OTHERS

PREMIERES FROM COMPOSERS DANÍEL BJARNASON, ÞURIðUR JONSDÓTTIR, PÁLL RAGNAR PÁLSSON, & HAUKUR TÓMASSON

Additional details to be announced

Create Your Own LA Phil series available to purchase now, single tickets on sale August 28, 2016

Los Angeles, CA (August 2, 2016) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced today additional programming details for the Reykjavík Festival (April 2017) in Walt Disney Concert Hall, curated by Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason and LA Phil Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen.

The festival is designed as an exploration of the eclectic Icelandic music scene, highlighting the creativity thriving in Reykjavík and covering a wide spectrum of music, from chamber, choral and symphonic to pop music. For the first time ever, Sigur Rós will perform songs from their albums with an orchestra, marking their LA Phil and Walt Disney Concert Hall debuts. These performances will include a blend of new and old music from Sigur Rós (without orchestra), alongside existing material (with orchestra). Each of these Walt Disney Concert Hall presentations (April 13, 14, 15) will be prefaced by three different symphonic and choral programs including world and U.S. premieres for orchestra.

Schola Cantorum Reykjavík will participate in these concerts. Formed in 1996, they have played an important role in the Icelandic music scene with a repertoire that consists mainly of renaissance, baroque and contemporary music including numerous premiere performances of works by Icelandic contemporary composers. They are particularly renowned for their presentations of Icelandic and Nordic a capella music.

Los Angeles Philharmonic Conductor Laureate and festival co-curator Esa-Pekka Salonen will lead the orchestra in the world premiere (an LA Phil commission) of a new violin concerto from Daníel Bjarnason performed by Pekka Kuusisto (April 13). The orchestra will also present the U.S. premiere of an LA Phil co-commission from Haukur Tómasson, his piano concerto with Icelandic soloist Vikingur Ólafsson (April 14), and the U.S. premiere of Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson’s BD (April 13). These April 13, 14, 15 programs will also include works from Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir and Jón Leifs, including Leif’s seldom performed Organ Concerto with soloist James McVinnie.

Opening these evenings with chamber music performances are Nordic Affect, a group of period instrument musicians who are united in their passion for viewing familiar musical forms from a different perspective and for daring to venture into new musical terrain, believing that music knows no boundaries.

On April 11 Daníel Bjarnason will conduct a Green Umbrella program of contemporary material with the LA Phil New Music Group, including the world premiere of a work for chamber orchestra and chorus from Þuríður Jonsdóttir and the U.S. premiere of Pall Ragnar Pálsson’s work for cello and chamber orchestra with soloist Saeunn Thorsteinsdóttir. Both of these pieces are LA Phil commissions.

The final concert of the festival (April 17) features composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, whose background is in Iceland’s alternative music scene; he is also well-known for his film music, including the Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning score for James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything. He will be joined by the American Contemporary Music Ensemble.

The other half of this concert will feature Icelandic record label/collective Bedroom Community’s Whale Watching Tour, a special celebration for the label’s 10th anniversary. Formed in 2006 by Valgeir Sigurðsson, with Nico Muhly and Ben Frost, the label also features Sam Amidon, Daníel Bjarnason, Puzzle Muteson, Paul Corley, Nadia Sirota and James McVinnie. 2015 saw two new additions to the family: Emily Hall & Jodie Landau and wild Up. 

Prior to each of the concerts on April 11-17, pianist, conductor, musicologist, author, journalist and Iceland Symphony Orchestra Program Director Árni Heimir Ingólfsson will present free pre-concert conversations in BP Hall.

The festival also includes the previously announced Toyota Symphonies for Youth concerts on April 1 & 8; additional programming details including visual and installation art and other performances will be announced at a future date. 

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PROGRAM DETAILS:

Saturday, April 1 & Saturday, April 8, 11am
Toyota Symphonies for Youth
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Daníel Bjarnason, conductor
Maximus Musicus Visits Los Angeles

Including works by Baldvinsson, Leifs, Thorvaldsdottir, Tomasson, Vithar, Asgeirsson, Guldmundsson, Grimsdottir, Bjarnason, Olafsdottir

Tuesday, April 11
Green Umbrella
LA Phil New Music Group
Daníel Bjarnason, conductor
Saeunn Thorsteinsdóttir, cello
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík

Askell MASSON Frum
Daníel BJARNASON Ek ken die nag
Þuríður JONSDÓTTIR new work for chamber orchestra and chorus (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
   Schola Cantorum Reykjavík
Atli INGOLFSSON Object of Terror
Páll Ragnar PÁLSSON new work for chamber orchestra and solo cello (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission)
   Saeunn Thorsteinsdóttir, cello
 

Thursday, April 13
Friday, April 14
Saturday, April 15
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Sigur Rós
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík
Pekka Kuusisto, violin (April 13)
Vikingur Ólafsson, piano (April 14)
James McVinnie, organ (April 15)

Each program preceded by Nordic Affect chamber music program. 

Program 1 (April 13):
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík (a cappella choral works TBD)
Hlynur Aðils VILMARSSON BD (U.S. premiere)
Daníel BJARNASON Violin Concerto (LA Phil commission; world premiere)
   Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Sigur Rós works

Program 2 (April 14):
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík (a cappella choral works TBD)
Anna ÞORVALDSDÓTTIR Airiality
Haukur TÓMASSON Piano Concerto (LA Phil co-commission; U.S. premiere)
   Vikingur Ólafsson, piano
Sigur Rós works

Program 3 (April 15):
Schola Cantorum (a cappella choral works TBD)
Maria Huld Markan SIGFÚSDÓTTIR Aequora
LEIFS Organ Concerto
   James McVinnie, organ
Sigur Rós works 
 

Monday, April 17
World Music
Jóhann Jóhannsson with American Contemporary Music Ensemble
Bedroom Community’s Whale Watching Tour
featuring Valgeir Sigurðsson, Nico Muhly, and Sam Amidon