Daníel Bjarnason (born 26 February 1979) is an Icelandic composer and conductor. He has garnered widespread acclaim for his debut album, Processions (2010), with TimeOut NY writing he "create(s) a sound that comes eerily close to defining classical music's undefinable brave new world".[1]

Daníel Bjarnason
Born (1979-02-26) 26 February 1979 (age 45)
Iceland
GenresClassical, experimental
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • conductor
LabelsBedroom Community
Websitedanielbjarnason.net

Life and career edit

Born on 26 February 1979,[2] Daníel studied composition, piano and conducting in Reykjavik, before going on to further study orchestral conducting at the University of Music, Freiburg.[3] He has had a number of works commissioned and debuted by Los Angeles Philharmonic.[4][5][6]

Daníel is currently composer-in-residence at the Muziekgebouw Frits Philips, Eindhoven[7] and was artist in residence with Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 2015 to 2018. He has also collaborated with respected artists from many different genres, including Ben Frost,[8] Sigur Ros[9] and Brian Eno.[10]

Various conductors have also performed Daníel's work, including Gustavo Dudamel,[11] John Adams,[12] André de Ridder,[13] James Conlon,[14] Louis Langrée[15] and Ilan Volkov.[16]

Daníel's recent work has included collaborations with the Los Angeles Philharmonic,[17] Rambert Dance Company,[18] Britten Sinfonia,[19] Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,[20] So Percussion[21] and the Calder Quartet.[22] In August 2017, he acted as a co-curator, composer and conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Reykjavik Festival.[23]

Awards edit

Daníel Bjarnason has won numerous awards at the Icelandic Music Awards, including Song Of The Year (2015) for Ek ken di nag [24] and Composer of the Year, 2013 for his works The Isle Is Full of Noises and Over Light Earth.[25][26] Over Light Earth (2013) won the Icelandic Music Award for the best classical CD of the year in 2013.[27] Also in 2013, he and Ben Frost won the Edda Award for best soundtrack for their score to film The Deep, directed by Baltasar Kormákur.[28] In 2010, Daníel nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council's Music Prize, and won the Kraumur Music Award.[29] Daníel has also been awarded a grant from the Kristján Eldjárn Memorial Fund.[27]

Discography edit

Albums edit

  • Processions (2010) — Bedroom Community
  • Sólaris (with Ben Frost) (2011) — Bedroom Community
  • Over Light Earth (2013) — Bedroom Community
  • Djúpið (2017) — Bedroom Community

Works edit

Solo and small chamber works edit

  • 5 Chinese Poems (2001)
  • 4 Seasons of Yosa Buson (2003)
  • Skelja (2006)
  • Fanfare for Harpa (2011)
  • Four Anachronisms (2012)
  • Qui Tollis (2013)
  • Ek Ken Die Nag (2014)
  • Stillshot (2015)

Ensemble and chamber orchestra edit

  • All Sounds to Silence Come (2007)
  • Over Light Earth (2012)

Orchestra edit

Solo with ensemble/orchestra edit

  • Solitudes (2003)
  • Sleep Variations (2005)
  • Processions (2009)
  • Bow to String (2010)
  • Sólaris (2011)
  • The Bells (2021)

Chorus edit

  • Enn Fagnar Heimur (2011)
  • Ek Ken Die Nag (2014)

Chorus and orchestra edit

  • The Isle Is Full of Noises (2012)

Solo voice with ensemble edit

  • Larkin Songs (2010)

Operas edit

  • Brothers (2017)

Film scores edit

  • Reykjavik Guesthouse (2003)
  • Come To Harm (2011)
  • The Deep (2012)
  • Under The Tree (2017)

Music for dance edit

  • Smáljón í Sjónmáli (2011)
  • Frames - Alexander Whitley/Rambert (2015)

Collaborations edit

  • Efterklang (Arranging for and performing in live project "Efterklang, Daníel Bjarnason and their Messing Orchestra")
  • Ben Frost (Sólaris, The Deep)
  • fr:Olivia Pedroli (Arranging for and appearing on albums "The Den" and "A Thin Line")
  • Ólöf Arnalds (Arrangements on albums "Við og við" and "Innundir Skinni")
  • Hjaltalín (Arranging for and performing in live project "Alpanon" with Iceland Symphony Orchestra)
  • Sigur Rós (Arrangements on albums "Valtari" and "Kveikur")

References edit

  1. ^ Olivia Giovetti (1 March 2010). "Q&A with Danel Bjarnason: Yes, he really can just call up Björk". Time Out NY. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  2. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason: Bow to String". Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  3. ^ grapevine.is (12 September 2013). "Daníel Bjarnason - The Reykjavik Grapevine". grapevine.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Bow to String (U.S. premiere)". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  5. ^ "L.A. Philharmonic fills new season with premieres". Orange County Register. 26 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Artist « TodaysArt | Festival 2012". Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  7. ^ www.x-com.nl. "Composer in residence - Muziekgebouw Eindhoven". muziekgebouweindhoven.nl. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  8. ^ Advisor, Resident. "Daniel Bjarnason and Ben Frost: A soundtrack to Solaris". residentadvisor.net. Retrieved 8 February 2017. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason to arrange Sigur Rós". icelandmusic.is. 8 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Ben Frost & Daníel Bjarnason: Music for Sólaris". barbican.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Gustavo Dudamel Conducts La Phil In Bjarnason World Premiere And Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 With Yuja Wang - Gustavo Dudamel". gustavodudamel.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  12. ^ "John Adams Leads the La Phil New Music Group in a Green Umbrella Program Featuring Premiers by Daníel Bjarnason and Nico Muhly". laphil.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Bedroom Comunity at Iceland Airwaves". sinfonia.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  14. ^ Tix.is. "Daníel og Debussy". tix.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  15. ^ "Louis Langrée - Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra". mostlymozart.org. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  16. ^ "About the Orchestra". sinfonia.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason". laphil.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Frames - Rambert". rambert.org.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  19. ^ "Debussy, Donatoni & Bjarnason - Britten Sinfonia". brittensinfonia.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  20. ^ "Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops announce Major International Tours in 2017". cincinnatisymphony.org. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason - The Icelandic Opera". opera.is. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  22. ^ "Release: Calder Quartet Performs Beethoven, Janáček, Bjarnason, and Norman - ArtPower". ucsd.edu. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  23. ^ "Reykjavík Festival". laphil.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  24. ^ "Icelandic Music Awards Winners 2015". icelandmusic.is. 22 February 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  25. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason - Ísmús". ismus.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  26. ^ "Chosen One: Daníel Bjarnason". fracturedair.com. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ^ a b "Daníel Bjarnason new Artist-in-residence". sinfonia.is. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  28. ^ Review, Iceland (18 February 2013). "The Deep Wins 11 Edda Awards". icelandreview.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017.[permanent dead link]
  29. ^ "Daníel Bjarnason". icelandmusic.is. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.