Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’ve entered the new year with happiness and passion.

I am thankful for the adventures of 2012 and very much looking forward to new adventures in 2013.

I recently finished writing two pieces, Shades of Silence for Nordic Affect, and Tactility for Duo Harpverk – these pieces will be premiered in February and March.

Current projects include a piece for the CAPUT Ensemble which they will be premiering on their tour in China in May, and a large piece for ICE which will be premiered in NY next fall.

I wish you a lot of exciting music in 2013!

warmth,
Anna

Nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards

Nominations for the upcoming Icelandic Music Awards were just announced - I am thankful to be nominated in two categories, as Composer of the Year and for Composition of the Year for the solo piano piece Scape.

See here for the full list of nominees - the list is only in Icelandic though.

Interview with Baldur Brönnimann

Here is an interview I did with conductor Baldur Brönnimann in connection with the BIT20 concert in Bergen on November 17th where they performed Hrím and pieces by Ligeti, Chin and Nancarrow.

I talked a little bit about my compositional process and how nature inspires me.

Nordic Council Prizes in Helsinki

I had a wonderful time in Helsinki - the ceremony was really nice and festive. And I really enjoyed giving the Sibelius Academy talk at the TING festival.

The below photo is courtesy of photographer Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org. There are some more related photos here.

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And here are a few words I said at the ceremony:

"I am deeply grateful for and honored by this award. It has a very precious and manifold meaning for me as a composer, as well as personally. But I also believe it may have significance beyond myself. As we know, the numbers of men and women in composition are still quite uneven, and maybe this award might contribute in some way to the visibility of women in composition – I am incredibly honored to be the third female composer to receive this award.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the performers of my music, for without them the music would be without sound.

I would also like to thank my beautiful family and friends for their support, and in particular my husband Hrafn whose precious presence in my life is invaluable.

Thank you again to the adjudicating committee, to my co-nominees and colleagues, and to the Nordic Council."

Europe tour

Currently heading on a Europe tour to attend ISCM World Music Days in Belgium where Musiques Nouvelles will perform Hrím on October 29th at Le Manege in Mons. Looking forward to seeing a lot of concerts there.

Then heading to Helsinki​ for the Nordic Council Music Price award ceremony at the end of October.

I'll also be giving a couple of talks, one at the Royal Conservatory in Mons and another at the Helsinki Music Center.

Too bad to have to miss BIT20 performing Ligeti, Unsuk Chin and Hrím in Bergen on November 17th, but I'll be there in spirit​ :)

IV, from Orchestronics

A 10 min. track - IV - from my “mr. Hyde-ish” electronic audio & video side-project Orchestronics  is now online. The total duration of the piece is 45 minutes.

Good headphones/speakers recommended :)

Orchestronics was premiered at the Reykjavik Arts Festival in May 2012.

Interview in Iceland Review

The August/September issue of Iceland Review features a short interview with Anna on her inspirations in music.

At the moment the magazine is only available in hard copy.

BIT20 performing Hrím in the fall

Hrím (2010), for chamber orchestra, will be performed by the BIT20 Ensemble in Oslo, Norway, on the Ultima Festival on September 9th, conducted by Pascal Rophé, and in Bergen on November 17th, conducted by Baldur Brönnimann.

The September program, on the Ultima Festival, will include two other pieces; a new piece by Lene Grenager and a premiere of Gesange Gedanken by Philippe Manoury.

The November program will feature two other pieces; Fantaisie Mecanique by Unsuk Chin and Chamber Concerto by György Ligeti. See here for the concert program.

Anna receives the Nordic Council Music Prize 2012

Anna is honored and grateful to be the recipient of the Nordic Council Music Prize 2012 for her work Dreaming, for orchestra.

The Nordic Council Music Prize Adjudicating Committee says:

"Dreaming opens the sphere of the symphony orchestra in an unusual and innovative way. … With Dreaming Anna Thorvaldsdóttir has written herself into a contemporary Nordic orchestra tradition which derives its timbres both from electronic music and from the sounds of nature inherent in Nordic folk music. The tones are carefully depicted - almost like small pieces of embroidery. But the work is perhaps particularly unique by the way it achieves to build and unfold a large form within a sound world that apparently stands still."

ICElab 2013 collaborators announced

The International Contemporary Ensemble has announced their 2013 lab collaborators. 
I am very much looking forward to this exciting collaboration with ICE.
Here is the list of collaborators for 2013.