Daniel & Tchaikovsky

Big questions about humanity, consciousness, and the interplay of technology and myth form the basis of the orchestral work I Want To Be Alive by Daníel Bjarnason, which will have its Icelandic premiere at the concert. The original version of the opening movement was performed by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in 2023, but much has changed since then, and Daníel has revised the movement from scratch and added two new movements.

Pianist Anna Geniushene will playone of the most well-known and popular piano concertos of all time, the powerful and emotional Concerto no. 1 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Anna Geniushene has in recent years risen rapidly to international prominence, particularly after winning the Silver Medal at the prestigious Cliburn Piano Competition in 2022. Of her performance there, a critic for Musical America wrote: “powerhouse sound, forceful musical personality, and sheer virtuosity…had this critic on the edge of his seat.”

The film Tár, which tells the story of the trials and tribulations of orchestra conductor Lydia Tár, garnered a lot of attention in 2022. The film featured well-known classical music and the captivating film score of Hildur Guðnadóttir, including the serene and beautiful piece For Petra I. The performance is the perfect warm-up for another concert featuring Hildur's works later in the year.

*The pianist Eric Lu, who was originally scheduled to appear at the concert, has unfortunately had to withdraw due to unforeseen circumstances. In his place, Anna Geniushene will perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto.