Tag: Icelandic

Nordic Affect

About the Show

 Nordic Affect performs a selection of works that features the intimate and unique music that has emerged from the Icelandic scene in recent years. “Decades ago, the Sugarcubes proved to the rest of the world that Icelandic rock was its own original creation – now Nordic Affect promises to do the same for the country’s new-music community.” The performance of this program for varying combinations of violin, viola, cello, harpsichord, and electronics coincides with the release of their album, Raindamage. Raindamage offers music with connections to ecology, be it through references to nature, exploration of sound or interaction with the environment of the performance space, and was released in February 2017 on Sono Luminus. The performance will feature works from the album by Valgeir Sigurðsson and Úlfur Hansson, as well as music by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Hildur Guðnadóttir, and María Huld Markan Sigfúsdottir.

About the Artists

Icelandic ensemble Nordic Affect has been hailed for its “affectionate explorations” (BBC Music Magazine) and “commitment to their repertoire” (Classical Music). Nordic Affect (Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir, violin and artistic director; Gudrún Hrund Hardardóttir viola; Hanna Loftsdóttir, cello; Gudrún Óskarsdóttir harpsichord) was formed by a group of period instrument musicians united in their passion for viewing familiar musical forms from a different perspective and for daring to venture into new musical terrain. In 2013, the ensemble was nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize and was named Performer of the Year at the 2014 Iceland Music Awards.