Founded in 1950, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of Iceland and one of the leading institutions on the Icelandic cultural scene. Widely praised for its performances and recordings, each year the orchestra presents a full season of subscription series, school and family concerts, and concerts devoted to modern music. The orchestra’s home is the award-winning Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík.
Yan Pascal Tortelier assumed the post of chief conductor in September 2016, a role previously held by conductors such as Jean-Pierre Jacquillat, Petri Sakari, Rumon Gamba, Ilan Volkov and Osmo Vänskä, who currently holds the title of honorary conductor. Vladimir Ashkenazy has conducted the orchestra regularly since the early 1970s and now holds the position of conductor laureate. The Icelandic composer Anna Þorvaldsdóttir is the orchestra’s composer-in-residence.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has a wide-ranging discography including a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies and orchestral works by Vincent d’Indy. On the BIS label, the orchestra has previously recorded eight volumes of Jón Leifs’ orchestral works, all of which have received great critical acclaim. It also appears on three discs with orchestral works by Nikos Skalkottas.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has toured in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Concerts abroad include appearances at the BBC Proms and at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, as well as concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York.
For further information, please visit the Iceland Symphony Orchestra's homepage.
