18.11 2024

‶You just need to enjoy and experience the music in your
own way!‶ 

The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra –Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands– is celebrating its 75th anniversary this season.

Here at Klassisk bureau, we want to put the spotlight on that event. Firstly, with this exclusive interview with Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir, artistic director of Reykjavík Arts Festival and former managing director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

As the leader of the orchestra 2019-2024, Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir gives her story and experiences, her views and visions for the orchestra – and classical music in general. 

Eldborg Hall in Harpa, Reykjavík, was in 2023 listed among the 20 most iconic concert halls in the world by the travel guide travelmag.com. Harpa is created by the Icelandic/Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.
Photo: ISO

It lives an independent life isolated in the volcanic nature in the North Atlantic Sea.
It is its country's only full time professional symphony orchestra.
Now Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands – Iceland Symphony Orchestra – has opened a season of celebration because of its 75th anniversary in March 2025. It will be marked with a bunch of different concerts throughout the season 24/25.

From 2019 and till November 6 2024 in the years leading up to the 75^th anniversary

Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir has held the position as managing director for the orchestra.  Shortly after the interview with Klassisk bureau this summer in Iceland, Lára Sóley was appointed artistic director of Reykjavík Arts Festival – a role she has taken on from November 6.

Now, Guðni Tómasson has taken on the role as managing director for the ISO.

There is somewhat a contradictory relationship between Iceland as a whole and classical music. The Icelandic nature which is almost inevitable to bring up just by mentioning the name of the country. That the nature is such a big part of the Icelandic character and nationality and that this nature with its volume, brutality and imposing personality just adds something strong, harsh but also supernatural and beautiful magic to the nation. Because it is as if an intense beauty appears in the middle of the dangerous environment.

On the other hand, classical music seems like an unlike match with its fragile instruments, its fine handcraft and sensitivity to harsh temperatures. However, the dichotomies thrive in Iceland. They even compliment each other – in sensitivity. And presence and a strong will. Just like a warm-blooded saga blooming in megalomania, love, pain, battle and intense and heartfelt honor.

It seems like the circle has reached its own beginning. The brutal character cooperates with the fragile beauty as strong expressions both containing a strong will to live. Now since 1950 there has been an orchestra for classical music existing side by side with the harsh nature on the volcano island out in the North Atlantic Sea.

Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir who studied music in the UK, has through her time as managing director of the national symphony orchestra in her country been aware of her responsibility. Her responsibility for the nation as a whole, to put it solemnly.

“It is important for the orchestra to tour abroad. Then the musicians get the opportunity to repeat the programs, which doesn’t happen often here in Harpa. Also, the musicians can play concerts in different acoustics to a different audience. That also, is great for the moral and for bringing Icelandic culture and art to the world”, she emphasizes. 

In 2019, she was appointed managing director for Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands; actually, the violinist born in Húsavik in the North was appointed again for a new 4 year period from 2023. Now she has changed to the role as artistic director for the Reykjavík Arts Festival which is the largest art festival in Iceland. It is a biennale taking place next in early summer 2026, and includes a wide ranch of genres, artists and arts. A job that gives Lára Sóley more space for independence as a leader but also requires more communication with partners from outside Iceland and besides offers a wider workspace inside the world of arts. She can take good benefit from her experiences from her time with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, one can imagine. That of course also includes the challenges, for example from the corona pandemic.

The effects from this period are hardly over yet.

”It was challenging for the orchestra to get back after the corona pandemic – to make the audience return to the concerts”, she tells me. “Before the pandemic we had a large proportion of subscribers to our concerts, but that has changed a bit. Now, some people rather choose the concerts individually. It is preferable to have more subscribers again, but as a good outcome from this situation we have felt that more new people attend the concerts”, she explains.

Maybe the corona pandemic taught us to be more relaxed and how nice it can be to spend more time at home. “I feel that people in general are now more aware of what they spend their time on. People are more at home, and maybe they learned that from the corona pandemic”, Lára Sóley says with a calm and controlled spirit. Still, one can sense the seriousness of the situation behind it.

However, there are a lot to get up for and to leave the cozy couch for. Both artistically and humanistically spoken, there are good times for classical music on the island of volcanos, the former managing director points out. “We both have good musicians and great music – many of our composers are outstanding”, she says and emphasizes Bára Gísladóttir, Daníel Bjarnason, Anna Þorvaldsóttir and Hildur Guðnadóttir. This spring the orchestra released an album for Dacapo Records with music by Bára, containing three orchestral works. An album that belongs to the absolute experimental part of the spectrum where basically new sounds are present and arranged for an orchestra of classical music.
Iceland is going out of the box. 

That is just one of the reasons why Lára Sóley expresses calmness, order and satisfaction with the situation as a whole. That Iceland is good at giving new habits a chance which means yet another thing that counts as good conditions for classical music in her home country.

“We are adaptable to do different things. To go out of the box, we are good at that”, she concludes. “ISO has to chance and follow the society”, she adds and lets me understand that she sees Iceland as an openminded, flexible and innovative country. Therefore, you can hear a special sound of joy in her voice when the talk comes to the story about the orchestra playing for children with different disabilities. Some sort of musical proximity experience for the children letting them touch the instruments and feel the vibrations of sound. A good experience also for children with impaired hearing. Furthermore, these concerts for children had space for get aways’ to let the children take a break from the music if they had the need. “We want to reach everyone”, Lára Sóley says ambitiously.

Lára Sóley is furthermore happy for the basis of recruitment in Iceland.  “We have a very fruitful life of music in Iceland because of the music schools. Every town has its own music school and there is focus on individual lessons. That does pay off”, she concludes. Moreover, she has been happy about the interest in seeking jobs in the orchestra. The applicants are from Iceland and other countries as well. Especially this international dimension is exciting for Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir.
“I like the fact that the orchestra is international. In Iceland Symphony Orchestra there is a wide range of different nationalities and many of the musicians have lived here for many years”, she says and points out that it is important to have an international ping-pong going on. ”It is interesting for us to learn from other countries. Is so amazing, that all these nationalities are all present to do this together”.

While recruitment and renewing are not a problem there is more concern about the age of the audience for classical music. “In general, there is a talk about the audience getting older”, Lára Sóley says – still with her calmness and balanced mood. “Regularly there have been surveys to understand the diagram of the audiences of the orchestra. In the last survey it appeared that the groups at the age of 18-25 years and the group at the age 60+ are the most positive about the orchestra and what it stands for” she informs me. “I think that it makes huge difference that the orchestra has from the start built a relationship with children and young people by going out to the schools and communities to perform and also cooperate with various music schools on a regular basis”.

As in every other country, Denmark, too, Lára Sóley is eager in getting the young people interested in classical music. For that purpose the relevance and visibility in the media has a role to play. For Lára Sóley, classical music and the arts in general do not always get the media attention they deserve.

“In Iceland we do have so many good artists who are doing very well internationally and I feel that people are missing out on not knowing about them and their inspiring work” 

Lára Sóley Jóhannsdottir, former managing director, ISO

”We have a fantastic collaboration with RUV (the main TV-station in Iceland) and the radio station Rás 1. The radio broadcasts almost all concerts live that the orchestra performs in Harpa. During the covid pandemic we started regular concerts from Harpa on live TV and since we have developed a whole series going on air every season”, she gladly informs. Lára Sóley does not seem like the gushing, self-imposing leader. Like the talk about the TV-series: They are created by her and her team, but that first came into light when Klassisk bureau asked if it was her idea. It is as if the ideas have first priority for Lára Sóley.

“I still dream of the arts getting more attention in the media, just like the sports events that attract much attention”, she says, a little bit eager now. “In Iceland we do have so many good artists who are doing very well internationally and I feel that people are missing out on not knowing about them and their inspiring work”, is her statement - and concern.

Classical music is also able to do something for a whole nation, she says. “Classical music can help people. You learn so much from the arts, it brings people together. Culture can help people to connect through differences.”

Lára Sóley has moved on to the next platform of arts in her career. Still, classical music will be a part of her life both privately and professionally, and she will be known for being a leader that paves the way for classical music as a natural thing. To Lára Sóley classical music is not something unapproachable or reserved for the elite. “Some people fear classical music because they feel they do not have enough understanding of it. To me: You don’t have to know much about it”, she says. “You just need to enjoy and experience it in your own way!”  

Rachel Einarsson