Una Sveinbjarnardóttir
violinist / composer
Reykjavík
Una Sveinbjarnardóttir
Una is leader of Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra and 3. concertmaster of ISO. She has premiered a large number of compositions and she is active in the creative process as a interpreter as well as composing her own music. Among her solo concertos with ISO are Beethoven, Shostakovich nr. 1, Philip Glass nr. 1, Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Páll Ragnar Pálsson and Þuríður Jónsdóttir. Una has worked closely with Björk, Jóhann Jóhannsson and Atli Heimir Sveinsson. She writes for film and theater and her work include Opacity (2014), Lullaby (2016), Gátt (2017), Missir and El Desnudo (2018). Her album Umleikis with her solo pieces for violin was out in 2014. She is a founding member of Siggi String Quartet and her work Opacity sounds on the quartets debut album South of the Circle, on Sono Luminus 2019. Siggi String Quartet was awarded the Icelandic Music Awards in 2019. Una’s album LAST SONG with pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir was out 2021.
Tónleikar Perfomances
Tónleikar Perfomances
October 7th 2023 Ásmundarsalur Art Gallery
Örtónleikar / Micro Concert
Solo Violin Compositions of Una Sveinbjarnardóttir
Hansahátíð of Hans Jóhannsson luthier
Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.
September 23rd 2023 The National Gallery of Iceland 4 pm
Tónleikur í Glerregni
Solo Improvisation Performance inside Rúrí ‘s Art
Tónleikar Concerts
Tónleikar Concerts
October 15th 2023 Harpa 4 pm
Siggi String Quartet
Music of María Huld Markan on Hansahátíð
Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.
November 4th 2023 Hallgrímskirkja 4 pm
Una og Arngerður
Special Guests
Skúli Sverrisson og Davíð Þór Jónsson
Make it stand out.
INTRODUCE YOUR BRAND
November 12th 2023 Harpa 4 pm
Siggi String Quartet
plays Beethoven, Finnur Karlsson and Schumann
Upcoming Shows
4.9
Gerðuberg Culture House 2 pm
Ritþing/Stefnumót við Braga Ólafsson
Premiere Una Sveinbjarnardóttir Variations on AM for solo violin
LAST SONG Out July 23rd
The project is inspired by the moment before the realization of something that drastically changes your life, the moment of just being, existing in the moment.
That moment in time is free and full, mindfulness-ish and unaffected by misery, sorrow, regret, shame, anxiety and depression. In my mind it is bright and has a sense of nostalgia.
The title also refers to a daily tradition on icelandic radio Rás 1, where a song, “last song before the news” would be played just before the news hour at noon. The song would typically be an icelandic one, sometimes a lullaby, a love song or an ode to scary and gorgeous nature. Or an icelandic traditional, sometimes an italian canzone or a scandinavian sorrow.
Jórunn Viðar’s piece Icelandic Suite sums up all these elements, a piece written for the 2000 years anniversary of inhabitation in Iceland in 1974.
Umleikis
Una Sveinbjarnardóttir solo violin pieces, including More, Links and Bræla
Unaess 2014
including String Quartet Opacity
Highlights
2021 Last Song release date 23.7, Þuríður Jónsdóttir Leikslok Violin Concerto premiere with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, J.S. Bach Partítur Plús in Skálholtskirkja
2020 Veronique Vaka Jaques Sceadu Fiðlukonsert premiere with Caput Ensemble, Recital in Eldborg with Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir Haukur Tómasson Archipelago for violin and ensemble premiere with Caput Ensemble, Antonio Vivaldi Quattro Stagioni with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
2019 Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin Siggi, South of the Circle
2018 Oliver Kentish Demeter Fiðlukonsert premiere with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra, Þuríður Jónsdóttir Farvegur for solo vln premiere, Veronique Vaka Jacques Sceadu 1. movement premiere with Caput Ensemble, Siggi String Quartet plays Opacity and more in Tokyo
2017 Siggi String Quartet on Glass Works Deutsche Gramophone, Iceland premiere of Morton Feldman String Quartet nr. 2 in Mengi
2014 Umleikis pieces for solo violin on Unaess, Pärt Fratres & Schönberg Pierrot Lunaire with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra Atli Heimir Sveinsson Hér vex enginn sítrónuviður premiere
2013 Anonymus Violin Concerto með Kammersveit Reykjavíkur
2012 Nostalgía Violin Concerto Páll Ragnar Pálsson premiere with Iceland Symphony Orchestra
2011 Sveinn Lúðvík Björnsson Quasi concerto Fiðlukonsert with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
2005 Beethoven Violin Concerto RUV recording with Iceland Symphony Orchestra
2005 Atli Heimir Sveinsson Iceland premiere Draumnökkvi Fiðlukonsert with Iceland Symphony Orchestra
2002 Philip Glass Violin Concerto with Iceland Symphony Orchestra