Friday, November 30th, 2012, 20.30
Anna Thorvaldsdottir (ISL)
Orchestronics - Audiovisual Composition
Orchestronics
Orchestronics is an electronic installation piece where contemporary orchestral music
meets electronic music, and video art. Composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir has constructed
electronic collages out of her written music for orchestra and made into a piece of
unified audio–visual experience. The music is accompanied by an abstract video art by the
composer.
Orchestronics was premiered at the Reykjavik Arts Festival in May 2012 by the composer
herself. The duration of the entire piece is 45 minutes out of which the second half will
be performed here.
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Anna Thorvaldsdottir is a prominent Icelandic composer who frequently works with large
structures of sounds, whether written for instrumental ensembles, soloists, voices, or
electronic mediums. Her music tends to portray a flowing world of sounds with an
enigmatic lyrical atmosphere. Her passion for working with large sound worlds, that often
reveal the presence of a vast variety of sustained sound materials, reflects her sense of
imaginative listening to landscapes and nature.
Anna’s music is frequently performed in Europe and in the US, and has been featured at
several major music festivals. Her works have been nominated and awarded on many
occasions, for example at the Icelandic Music Awards and the International Music Prize for
Excellence in Composition. Anna is the recipient of the Nordic Council Music Prize 2012
for her work Dreaming for orchestra.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has premiered and recorded four of Anna's orchestra
pieces, conducted by Ilan Volkov, Christian Lindberg, Rumon Gamba, Daniel Bjarnason,
and Bernhardur Wilkinson. Her most recent piece for orchestra, “AERIALITY”, was
commissioned by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and premiered in HARPA, the new
award-winning Reykjavik Concert Hall, in November 2011, conducted by Ilan Volkov. The
noted Icelandic CAPUT Ensemble has also premiered and recorded major works by Anna,
conducted by Snorri Sigfus Birgisson.
Anna holds a PhD degree from the University of California in San Diego.
Anna’s debut portrait album - Rhízōma - was released in 2011 through Innova Recordings.
The album features three larger pieces for orchestra and chamber orchestra and five
shorter movements from a solo percussed piano work. The pieces are performed by the
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Bjarnason, the Icelandic CAPUT
Ensemble, conducted by Snorri Sigfus Birgisson, and percussionist Justin DeHart. Rhízōma
was selected Classical/Contemporary Album of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards
2012, and appeared on a number of “Best of 2011” lists, e.g. at TimeOut New York and
TimeOut Chicago.
http://www.annathorvalds.com
ABOUT PROGRAMME SUAL AWARD PRESS IMPRINT SUAL HOME
shut up and listen! 2012
Interdisciplinary Festival for Music and Sound Art
meets electronic music, and video art. Composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir has constructed
electronic collages out of her written music for orchestra and made into a piece of
unified audio–visual experience. The music is accompanied by an abstract video art by the
composer.
Orchestronics was premiered at the Reykjavik Arts Festival in May 2012 by the composer
herself. The duration of the entire piece is 45 minutes out of which the second half will
be performed here.
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Anna Thorvaldsdottir is a prominent Icelandic composer who frequently works with large
structures of sounds, whether written for instrumental ensembles, soloists, voices, or
electronic mediums. Her music tends to portray a flowing world of sounds with an
enigmatic lyrical atmosphere. Her passion for working with large sound worlds, that often
reveal the presence of a vast variety of sustained sound materials, reflects her sense of
imaginative listening to landscapes and nature.
Anna’s music is frequently performed in Europe and in the US, and has been featured at
several major music festivals. Her works have been nominated and awarded on many
occasions, for example at the Icelandic Music Awards and the International Music Prize for
Excellence in Composition. Anna is the recipient of the Nordic Council Music Prize 2012
for her work Dreaming for orchestra.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has premiered and recorded four of Anna's orchestra
pieces, conducted by Ilan Volkov, Christian Lindberg, Rumon Gamba, Daniel Bjarnason,
and Bernhardur Wilkinson. Her most recent piece for orchestra, “AERIALITY”, was
commissioned by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and premiered in HARPA, the new
award-winning Reykjavik Concert Hall, in November 2011, conducted by Ilan Volkov. The
noted Icelandic CAPUT Ensemble has also premiered and recorded major works by Anna,
conducted by Snorri Sigfus Birgisson.
Anna holds a PhD degree from the University of California in San Diego.
Anna’s debut portrait album - Rhízōma - was released in 2011 through Innova Recordings.
The album features three larger pieces for orchestra and chamber orchestra and five
shorter movements from a solo percussed piano work. The pieces are performed by the
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Bjarnason, the Icelandic CAPUT
Ensemble, conducted by Snorri Sigfus Birgisson, and percussionist Justin DeHart. Rhízōma
was selected Classical/Contemporary Album of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards
2012, and appeared on a number of “Best of 2011” lists, e.g. at TimeOut New York and
TimeOut Chicago.
http://www.annathorvalds.com
ABOUT PROGRAMME SUAL AWARD PRESS IMPRINT SUAL HOME
shut up and listen! 2012
Interdisciplinary Festival for Music and Sound Art