Symphony Orchestra plans its largest tour to date

Next October the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra departs on its USA tour, the most extensive tour it has ever undertaken. The idea for the tour was sparked by celebrations being held this year commemorating the discovery of America, and the decision was made to play in three cities: New York, Boston and Washington D.C. But interest in the orchestra has been so great that it will perform a total of 14 times around the country, at such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington and at Ann Arbor in Michigan, known for attracting some of the best orchestras in the world. In addition, a concert has also been planned in Winnipeg, Canada. It may well be thought surprising that an orchestra from such a small country would attract such interest, but it is even more noteworthy that the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra is considered among the best in Europe according to many well-known critics. This must be viewed as a major accomplishment for an orchestra that is only celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Actually, it is only in the past two decades that the orchestra's foundation has been strong enough to accomplish this achievement. Yet there is another aspect of the orchestra of no less interest: a high proportion of 20th century composers is on its repertoire. Perhaps it is because of its youth that the orchestra can allow itself a more daring repertoire that older, more established orchestras.

This will be the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra's third visit to America. In 1994 it traveled to Washington on the occasion of Iceland's 50th anniversary of independence, and performed works by Magn�s Bl�ndal J�hannsson, J�n Leifs and Kar�l�na Eir�ksd�ttir. Th�ra Einarsd�ttir sang solo, Sigr�n E�valdsd�ttir performed solo violin and Osmo V�nsk� conducted. Two years later the orchestra traveled west again, with Osmo V�nsk� conducting and Ilena Vered and Jennifer Koh performing solo on the piano and violin respectively.

The second visit was in the wake of CDs published by Chandos of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, CDs which were widely praised and resulted in invitations to perform. The high point of the tour was Carnegie Hall in New York, after which the New York Times music critic wrote, "It was staggeringly good."

The program for the fall tour includes a new work by Atli Heimur Sveinsson, which has been awaited with great anticipation as it bears the unusual name, Icerap 2000. There will also be a violin concert by Aram Kachaturian, and alternatively with the first symphony by Sibelius or the Symphony fantastique by Hector Berlioz.

The symphony's principle conductor, Rico Saccani, will be conducting. Maestro Saccani was hired as the artistic director and principle conductor of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra in 1998. He began his career as a solo pianist and appeared as such with many well-known orchestras. In 1984 he received first prize in the annual Herbert von Karajan conductor's competition. Following that Saccani was hired to conduct the Berlin and Stuttgart Radio Orchestras, and the Royal Danish Philharmonic Orchestra. He has since conducted widely, and has been highly sought after as an opera conductor.

He has conducted a long list of operas, and worked with some of the world's best singers, for example, Luciano Pavarotti, Georgina Luk�cs, Cecilu Bartoli and Kristj�n J�hannsson. In addition to his work in Iceland, Rico Saccani is also the principle conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a popular guest conductor on both sides of the Atlantic. According to Maestro Saccani, he is greatly looking forward to the trip next fall, so that his fellow countrymen can enjoy this wonderful orchestra that exudes the best of both the old and the new worlds.

Soloist in Kachaturian's violin concerto will be Judith Ketilsd�ttir Ing�lfsson. She is half Icelandic on her father's side, and lives in the States. Her star has been rising rapidly: she has both won prizes and received critical raves for her performances. Judith Ing�lfsson performs solo in European and American orchestras, participates in chamber orchestras and holds solo concerts. She studied at Curtis Music College in Philadelphia and the Cleveland Institute of Music, and also studied privately under Jascha Brodsky, David Cerone and Donald Weilerstein. In 1998 she won the gold prize at an international violin competition in Indianapolis. Part of her prize was the use of a Stradivarius violin, and a debut at Carnegie Hall. At that debut she received excellent reviews by the New York Times' music critic, among others.