Radio performance

RÚV 1, Iceland´s oldest radio station played our recording from the Dark Musicdays concert the other day. We are very happy with that, and it almost makes up for the fact that no newspaper seems to have written a review or any kind of coverage what so ever. Sending out a formal invitation to news agents would be a good idea for next concert, dont you agree?

Here are the programme notes from RÚV 1´s programme.
http://www.ruv.is/frett/opus/elektra-a-myrkum

Branching out

Since the successful concert of the Composers Society and Elektra Ensemble (www.elektraensemble.com) in Harpa (www.harpa.is) at Dark Musicdays festival (www.myrkir.is) this January 28th I´ve been working very hard to put our new material online and in an accessible layout, with good help from Halldór Smárason, one of my co-composers.

Here is the final result, you can read about the group and the individuals and listen to the concert:

http://flavors.me/tonskaldafelag

Last monday I finished my newest piece "Become", a duet for viola and piano. It´s based on the piece you´ll find on the site earlier mentioned but I´ve expanded the material and developed the structure much further. The premiere will be Feb. 24th at Guildhall 7pm. Everyone welcome and no ticket prize.

Here are some of the influences:

Best wishes / Kær kveðja
-Helgi

Viola and piano

Dear London friends. On Feb. 24th my newest piece for Viola and piano will be premiered alongside 2 others at Guildhall, School of Music and Drama. The concert will take place in the main music hall at 7pm. Free entrance. I hope to see you there. Best wishes, Helgi.

Choreographers and poets.

The Composer´s society I formed in Iceland has it´s first concert this 28th of January in Harpa, Reykjavík. It will be part of Dark Music Days, contemporary music festival (Myrkir Músíkdagar).

Saturday January 28th

12:15

Harpa – Kaldalón




 Elektra Ensemble



World Premiers of works by Mamiko Dís Ragnarsdóttir, Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson, Úlfur Eldjárn, Staffan Wieslander, Jonatan Sersam, Halldór Smárason

This concert will hopefully be recorded, sound and video, if I have anything to say about it. Sadly I will not be able to attend since I´m very busy in London, but I have all the confidence in my friends in Elektra Ensemble to deliver professionally. Tickets and further info here: http://www.myrkir.is/Photo-Gallery.aspx

Last friday I was paired up with a choreographer for the LCDS collaboration. Andrew Bennett, a great guy I´m really looking forward to work with. Earlier I was paired with a poet for the Voiceworks project, Irum Fazal is her name and it´s a very promishing collaboration as well.

Back in London

Well, Londonland is still the way I left it. And GSMD starts with a blast.

Tomorrow, 1st day of this semester, I have a 1000 word self-reflective essay due (I´ve got 400 words already, so should not be a problem). And then all days this week we have a 5 hour workshop with the London Contemporary Dance School´s postgraduate choreographers (http://www.theplace.org.uk/lcds) for our collaboration project. Whilst this is happening I also have to prepare a near-finished piece for my viola-piano duo by the 18th. Then the final version deadline is on the 30th.

It´s nice to have a busy schedule right away to pick one self up after a long holiday.

In Iceland I bought a 6 CD set "Best Ballet: 100", I´m done with the Tchaikovsky ballets, the Russian Ballets and half-way through the French Ballets. It cant be a bad thing to refresh the classical repertoire for the LCDS collaboration.

Here is my favorite this far: Dance of the Knights from Romeo & Juliet by Prokofiev.

Kær kv. / Best wishes
Helgi