Páll Ragnar Pálsson, an Icelandic composer on this album, played in the indie rock band Maus for 12 years before transitioning to classical contemporary composition.
Performer Biography
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Iceland's national orchestra, has expanded from a part-time ensemble of forty players in 1950 to an internationally renowned orchestra of eighty-five full-time musicians.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, a composer featured on this album, describes her music as 'an ecosystem of materials' where sounds and nuances grow in and out of each other, often inspired by structural elements from nature.
Recording & Production
The recording for this album was made with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra seated in a circle, with the conductor Daníel Bjarnason in the middle, creating an unusual and immersive experience.
Compositional Technique
The concertos on this album by Haukur Tómasson and Páll Ragnar Pálsson challenge the traditional concerto format by emphasizing interrelationship and community rather than the soloist acting against society.
Performer Biography
Daníel Bjarnason, the conductor of this album, is also a composer whose Violin Concerto has become one of his most popular works since its premiere in 2017 at the Hollywood Bowl.
Album & Artwork
This album, 'Concurrence', is the second volume in a recording project dedicated to showcasing the orchestral sound world of Icelandic composers.
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