Iceland's classical music scene featured in The Guardian
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra rehearsing Jóhann Jóhannsson's The Miner's Hymns. Mbl.is/Þórður Arnar Þórðarson
In a piece titled Ice and Fire: The classical music scene in Reykjavík, British newspaper The Guardian writes about how Icelandic rock musicians are often influenced by a classical background. The upcoming Tectonics and Dark Music Days festivals are also mentioned, but both take place at Harpa concert hall and conference centre.
"One talks of “international profile” in such a context as a measure of serious artistic reach, but I’ve often found with Icelandic musicians that its their strong sense of local identity which really drives them. Despite the vast international following attracted by such artists Björk and Jónsi, most of them are primarily interested in serving their own cultural community, which isn’t populous enough for them to be treated like “stars” in the modern, remote sense associated with the rest of the music industry. One gets the feeling that the need for musical activity is deeply rooted in the culture itself, rather than mediated through the music industry, on the one hand, or by establishment notions of high art on the other."
Read the full article HERE.
