The Society of Icelandic Composers presents Myrkir Músíkdagar 2011 (Dark Music Days is the event’s name in English). This is one of the many events taking place in the lively city of Reykjavík during the winter season. The festival, scheduled every two years, was born in 1980 to bring together Icelandic composers and people interested in the study and comprehension of contemporary music of Iceland.
The festival is going to take place from January 27 to January 30, 2011.
The program is the following:
Thursday January 27th, 2011 17:00
RÚV – Iceland State Broadcasting System
Opening Ceremony – Live Broadcast Concert
Following the Arts and Culture programme “Víðsjá” which is dedicated to the Dark Music Days Festival, the Iceland State Broadcasting System opens its doors to the public, offering a free concert in the RÚV Radio Station, where selected musicians from the coming festival will be performing.
Thursday January 27th, 2011 19:30
Háskólabíó
Opening Concert – Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Daníel Bjarnason: Birting (premiere)
Steingrímur Rohloff: Concerto for bass clarinet (premiere)
Finnur Torfi Stefánsson: 2nd movement from Violin Concerto (premiere)
György Ligeti: Atmosphéres
Conductor: Daníel Bjarnason
Soloists: Sigrún Edvaldsdóttir, Rúnar Óskarsson
Friday January 28th, 2011 12:15
Nordic House
Tríó VEI – soprano, clarinet and piano
Ingibjörg Gudjónsdóttir, Einar Jóhannesson, Valgerdur Andrésdóttir
John Speight: New piece (premiere)
Haflidi Hallgrímsson: Songs from Syrpa
Oliver Kentish: Sun Stand Still
Tryggvi M. Baldvinsson: Songs
Friday January 28th, 2011 14:30
Sölvhóll, Iceland Academy of the Arts
Lecture: Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor – “Thorkell the Revolutionary”
A lecture on the Icelandic composer Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson and his Radio Programmes “Contemporary Music”
Friday January 28th, 2011 17:00
Ásmundarsalur Gallery
Harpsichord Recital – Guðrún Óskarsdóttir
Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir: Fingerprints (2002) (Icelandic premiere)
Úlfar Ingi Haraldsson: In Paradisum, for electronics and harpsichord (premiere)
Kolbeinn Bjarnason: Suite (2010) (premiere)
Friday January 28th, 2011 20:00
Neskirkja Church
Missa Pacis – Hljómeyki Chamber Choir and Soloists
New work by Sigurdur Sævarsson for choir, cello, organ and percussion.
Conductor: Magnús Ragnarsson.
Friday January 28th, 2011 22:00
Hugmyndahúsid
Electro-Acoustic Works
New works by Ríkhardur H. Fridriksson, Hilmar Thórdarson, Kjartan Ólafsson and
others.
Saturday January 29th, 2011 12:00
Hafnarborg Cultural Centre
“Faces” – Violin and Piano – Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir
Jórunn Viðar: Icelandic Suite (1974)
Jónas Tómasson: Doloroso (1997)
Mist Þorkelsdóttir: Cesiliana (1990)
Kjartan Ólafsson: Mónetta (1997)
Wolfgang Rihm: Antlitz – drawing for violin and piano (1992/93)
Áki Ásgeirsson: New Work (2011) (premiere)
Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson: Vargarð (2010) (premiere)
Páll Ivan Pálsson: New Work (2011) (premiere)
Saturday January 29th, 2011 14:30
Kjarvalsstadir Arts Centre
Hnúkaþeyr Wind Ensemble
Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir: …það kemur, …það fer (2011) (premiere)
Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir: Leikur / Jeu (2010) (Icel. premiere)
Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir: Hugleiðing (2008)
Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir: Andar (2007)
Lars Graugaard: Seven Summerscapes (1993) (Icel. premiere)
Saturday January 29th, 2011 17:00
Sölvhóll, Iceland Academy of the Arts
String Quartet and Two Pianos
Þórður Magnússon: “Það mótlæti þankinn ber” for two pianos
Jónas Tómasson: Quartetto per archi
In Memoriam Ludwig Hoffmann
Eíríkur Árni Sigtryggsson: Strengjakvartett nr. 4
Jóhann G. Jóhannsson: Dísadjamm
Saturday January 29th, 2011 20:00
Kjarvalsstaðir Arts Centre
Iceland Saxophone Quartet
Thórður Magnússon: Quartet for Saxophones (2010)
Lárus H. Grímsson: Quartet for Saxophones (1992)
Kjartan Ólafsson: Mozaik for Saxophones (2006/2010)
Þorsteinn Hauksson: Exhalatio (1996)
Saturday January 29th, 2011 22:30
Nordurpóllinn
Kira Kira
New pieces for contrabass instruments, percussion and electronics.
Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, electronics, Hilmar Jensson, electric guitar, Eiríkur Orri
Ólafsson, trumpet and Eb-horn, Samuli Kosminen, percussion, Pétur Hallgrímsson,
lapsteel, Borgar Magnason, double bass, Jóel Pálsson, contrabass-clarinet, Óttar
Sæmundssen, double bass.
Saturday January 29th, 2011 24:00
Nordurpóllinn
New Works by Young Graduates of the Iceland Academy of the Arts
Sunday January 30th, 2011 13:00
Nordic House
Percussion Recital / Family Concert
“Famuli Music by Samuli”
Family friendly recital of works for prepared percussion & electronics by Finnish clonky-clunky virtuoso Samuli Kosminen, including a new piece especially composed for this occasion – the 10th anniversary og Samuli´s creative friendship with experimental music collective Kitchen Motors.
Visuals: Örvar Smárason
Waffle DJ & raw goodies: Kira Kira & Alex Somers
Sunday January 30th, 2011 15:00
Nordurpóllinn
The Caput Ensemble and Pars Pro Toto Dance Company
New version of work for wind quintet and dancers by Nordic Prize Laureate Atli
Heimir Sveinsson “Fimmhjóladrif” (“Five-Wheel-Traction”)
Choreography: Lára Stefánsdóttir and Brian Gerke.
Sunday January 30th, 2011 17:00
Thjódmenningarhúsid
Lecture/Recital – Nína Margrét Grímsdóttir
The Three P´s of Icelandic Music History
“Páll Ísólfsson´s Piano Party”
Pianist Nína Margrét Grímsdóttir invites guests to explore aspects of her doctoral
research on the Piano Works of Páll Ísólfsson in this unique event at the National Center for Cultural Heritage.
Sunday January 30th, 2011 20:00
Iceland National Gallery
Closing Concert – Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
Hlynur A. Vilmarsson: New work for piano and strings (premiere)
Sigurður Sævarsson: Kvædi for bass and strings (premiere)
Áskell Másson:
Quatrain for saxophone quartet, strings and tubular bells
(Icelandic premiere)
Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951)
Verklärte Nacht op. 4 for strings
Conductor:
Petri Sakari.
Soloists: Tinna Thorsteinsdóttir, Jóhann Smári Sævarsson, Iceland Saxophone Quartet
For more info, please visit the official Dark Music Days site.