The third concert in the ISO Beethoven Cycle features two popular symphonies by the maestro. Following the highly dramatic fifth, Beethoven came up with something completely different his sixth – the Pastoral Symphony: birds, peasant dances, and thunderstorms, inspired by memories of the countryside. Beethoven's Seventh Symphony is the most happy and cheerful music he ever wrote. Best known is the calm, gentle Allegretto, which has been featured in a number of motion pictures, including the memorable scene at the climax of The King's Speech, where George the VI addresses his nation at the beginning of World War II.

Christine Schäfer is widely regarded as one the world's leading sopranos. She recently sang the role of Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera along with Icelandic bass Kristinn Sigmundsson as Baron Ochs. Adagio by composer Jón Nordal was first performed in 1966 and is still considered amongst his best works; refined, lyrical and contemplative. It is a favorite of ISO's new Chief Conductor, Ilan Volkov, who requested that it would be played during his first season with the orchestra. Schubert's Unfinished Symphony serves as the finishing touch to the orchestra's first season in Harpa Concert Hall. This magnificent composition, in only two movements, was never played while Schubert lived.