Subscription Series
Iceland Symphony Orchestra 2009-2010
Red series
The red subscription series consists of seven concerts with a primary emphasis on large orchestral works from the 19th and 20th centuries. This season, the programs have two main themes: Chopin´s piano concertos performed by talented young Icelandic musicians, and music by the great Russian masters: Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. The red series also includes symphonic masterworks by Beethoven, Bruckner, and Brahms, conducted by some of the most renowned musicians of our time.
10.09.09
Russian Masterpieces
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloist: Sergio Tiempo
Piotr Tchakovsky: Piano concerto no. 1
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony no. 5
15.10.09
The Sunshine Symphony
Conductor: Eyvind Aadland
Soloist: Stefán Jón Bernharðsson
Haukur Tómasson: Strati
Richard Strauss: Horn concerto no. 2
Johannes Brahms: Symphony no. 2
3.12.09
Chopin & Beethoven
Conductor: Robert Spano
Soloist: Ástríður Alda Sigurðardóttir
Ludwig van Beethoven: Coriolan, overture
Fréderic Chopin: Piano concerto no. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 3
21.01.10
19th Century Classics
Conductor: Ilan Volkov
Soloist: Lise de la Salle
Bent Sørensen: Exit Music
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano concerto no. 1
Maurice Ravel: Piano concerto in G major
Igor Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements
25.02.10
Víkingur plays Chopin
Conductor: Pietari Inkinen
Soloist: Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson
Fréderic Chopin: Piano concerto no. 1
Anton Bruckner: Symphony no. 7
29.4.10
Maestro Martin
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloist: Martin Fröst
Modest Musorgsky: Khovanschina, overture
Kalevi Aho: Clarinet concerto
Piotr Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 4
10.6.10
Rumon Gamba - Farewell Concert
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloist: Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir
Edward Elgar: Introduction and Allegro
Áskell Másson: Songs of Spring
Dimitri Shostakovich: Symphony no. 10
Yellow series
The seven concerts of the yellow series contain a varied selection of classic orchestral works. Among the themes of the current season is a focus on the German Romantics, including Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms. In celebration of Schumann´s 200th anniversary, the ISO will give four concerts in 2009-2011 entirely devoted to symphonies and concertos by Schumann and Brahms. Among other yellow offerings this season are Ravel´s thrilling ballet score, Dapnis et Chloé, Stravinsky´s Firebird and Bartók´s Concerto for orchestra.
1.10.09
European Romantics
Conductor: Kirill Karabits
Soloist: Ilya Gringolts
Hector Berlioz: Beátrice og Benedict, overture
Antonín Dvorák: Violin concerto
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony no. 3, “Scottish”
5.11.09
Ásdís and the Firebird
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloist: Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir
Michael Tippett: Fantasy on a Theme by Corelli
William Walton: Viola concerto
Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird
19.11.09
Schumann & Brahms I
Conductor: Eva Ollikainen
Soloist: Antti Siirala
Robert Schumann: Piano concerto
Johannes Brahms: Symphony no. 4
18.02.10
Sounds of the New World
Conductor: Susanna Mälkki
Soloist: Sæunn Þorsteinsdóttir
Igor Stravinsky: Scherzo à la Russe
Antonín Dvorák: Cello concerto
Béla Bartók: Concerto for orchestra
4.03.10
Hilary Hahn plays Prokofiev
Conductor: Benjamin Shwartz
Soloist: Hilary Hahn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no. 39
Sergei Prokofiev: Violin concerto no. 1
Franz Schubert: Symphony no. 5
25.3.10
Daphnis et Chloe
Conductor: Eva Ollikainen
Choir: The Hamrahlíð Choir
Paul Hindemith: Mathis der Maler, symphony
Maurice Ravel: Daphnis and Chloé
6.5.10
Schumann & Brahms I
Conductor:: Andrew Litton
Soloist: Jon Kimura Parker
Johannes Brahms: Piano concerto no. 1
Robert Schumann: Symphony no. 1, “Spring”
Green series
The Green series is especially intended for those coming to classical music for the first time, although veteran concert-goers will certainly not want to miss these concerts. This season sees a delightful blend of old and new masterworks, ranging from a Mozart evening with Swedish clarinet virtuoso – and ISO artist-in-residence – Martin Fröst, Orff´s Carmina Burana, a double offering of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Piazzolla, and a Viennese Gala Evening, a long-standing ISO tradition.
29.10.09
Classic Mozart
Conductor: Matthew Halls
Soloist: Martin Fröst
W.A. Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro, overture
W.A. Mozart: Clarinet concerto
W.A. Mozart: Symphony in G minor, K. 550
26.11.09
Romantic Favorites
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloist: Inessa Galante
Gioacchino Rossini: William Tell, overture
Piotr Tchaikovsky: Capriccio italien
Soprano arias from Aida, Norma, Madame Butterfly, Queen of Spades and Eugen Onegin
07.01.10
Viennese Gala Concert
Conductor: Christopher Warren-Green
Soloists: Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir and Finnur Bjarnason
Viennese favorites by Johann Strauss jr., Franz Lehár et al.
11.02.10
Carmina Burana
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloists: Hallveig Rúnarsdóttir, Mark Tucker, Jón Svafar Jósefsson
Choir: The Icelandic Opera Choir
Maurice Ravel: Bolero
Alexander Borodin: Polovetsian Dances
Carl Orff: Carmina Burana
23.04.10
The Seasons, 4x2
Conductor: Wolfram Christ
Soloist: Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir
Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Astor Piazzolla: The Four Seasons in Buenos Aires
Children´s Concerts
Each season, the ISO presents four children´s concerts which are traditionally among its most enthusiastically received performances. In 2009-10, we offer the classic adventures of the Firebird and the Snowman, the latter narrated by Icelandic pop idol Páll Óskar. Also, a trip to the Zoo in the company of Poulenc and Saint-Saëns, and the new hero of Icelandic children´s books, Maxímús Músíkus, a mouse whose adventures topped last year´s best-seller lists. This time, the mouse wanders into a local music school and is captivated by the music made by the talented young students.
10.10.09
The Firebird
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird
18.12.09
Christmas Concert
Conductor: Bernharður Wilkinson
Narrator and singer: Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson
Choir: The Graduale Choir, Langholt Church
Howard Blake: The Snowman
and favorite Christmas classics
6.2.10.
A Day at the Zoo
Conductor: Daníel Bjarnason
Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals
Francis Poulenc: The Story of Babar the Elephant
17.4.10
Maximús Músíkús visits the Music school
Conductor: Daníel Bjarnason
Narrator: Valur Freyr Einarsson
Soloists: Students from local music schools
Other concerts
In addition to ISO´s subscription concert, various exciting concerts are offered throughout the season.
4.9.09
Opening concert
Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy
Soloist: Vovka Ashkenazy
Franz Schubert / Liszt: Wanderer-fantasy
Piotr Tchaikovsky: Manfred, symphony
22.10.09
Film concert – The Music of John Williams
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Music from Star Wars, Superman, Harry Potter, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc.
12. 12.09
Advent Concert
Conductor: Daníel Bjarnason
Soloists: Ingibjörg Guðjónsdóttir and Gissur Páll Gissurarson
Seasonal classics, including Corelli´s Christmas concerto, selections from Handel´s Messiah, Bach´s Christmas Oratorio, etc.
06., 08., 09.01.10
Viennese Gala Concert
Conductor: Christopher Warren-Green
Soloists: Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir and Finnur Bjarnason
Viennese favorites by Johann Strauss jr., Franz Lehár et al.
14.1.10
Young Soloists
Conductor: Bernharður Wilkinson
Soloists: TBA
28.1.10
The Saga Symphony + 3
Conductor: Franck Ollu
Jón Leifs: The Saga Symphony
Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson: New work
Hróðmar I. Sigurbjörnsson: New work
Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson: New work
18.3.10
ISO 60th Anniversary Gala Concert
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Soloists: Hillevi Martinpelto and Sarah Connolly
Choir: The Hallgrimskirkja Motet Choir
Haflidi Hallgrímsson: Narratives from the North
Gustav Mahler: Symphony no. 2
05.06.10
Opera Concert, Reykjavík Arts Festival
Conductor: Justin Brown
Soloists: Christine Brewer and Kristinn Sigmundsson
Overtures and opera selections by Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, et al.
