Daníel Bjarnason (born 26 February 1979) is an Icelandic composer and conductor. He has garnered widespread acclaim for his debut album, ''Processions'' (2010), with
TimeOut NY writing he "create(s) a sound that comes eerily close to defining classical music's undefinable brave new world".
Life and career
Born on 26 February 1979, Daníel studied composition, piano and conducting in Reykjavik, before going on to further study orchestral conducting at the
University of Music, Freiburg. He has had a number of works commissioned and debuted by
Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Daníel is currently
composer-in-residence
Artist-in-residence, or artist residencies, encompass a wide spectrum of artistic programs which involve a collaboration between artists and hosting organisations, institutions, or communities. They are programs which provide artists with space a ...
at the
Muziekgebouw Frits Philips,
Eindhoven and was artist in residence with
Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 2015 to 2018. He has also collaborated with respected artists from many different genres, including
Ben Frost,
Sigur Ros and
Brian Eno.
Various conductors have also performed Daníel's work, including Gustavo Dudamel, John Adams, André de Ridder, James Conlon, Louis Langrée and Ilan Volkov.
Daníel's recent work has included collaborations with the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
Rambert Dance Company
Rambert (known as Rambert Dance Company before 2014) is a leading British dance company. Formed at the start of the 20th century as a classical ballet company, it exerted a great deal of influence on the development of dance in the United Kingd ...
,
Britten Sinfonia,
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cinc ...
,
So Percussion
Sō Percussion is an American percussion quartet formed in 1999 and based in New York City.
Composed of Josh Quillen, Adam Sliwinski, Jason Treuting, and Eric Cha-Beach, the group is well known for recording and touring internationally and for th ...
and the
Calder Quartet. In August 2017, he acted as a co-curator, composer and conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Reykjavik Festival.
Awards
Daníel Bjarnason has won numerous awards at the Icelandic Music Awards, including Song Of The Year (2015) for ''Ek ken di nag'' and Composer of the Year, 2013 for his works ''The Isle Is Full of Noises'' and ''Over Light Earth''. ''Over Light Earth'' (2013) won the Icelandic Music Award for the best classical CD of the year in 2013.
Also in 2013, he and
Ben Frost won the
Edda Award for best soundtrack for their score to film ''
The Deep'', directed by
Baltasar Kormákur
Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson (born 27 February 1966) is an Icelandic actor, theater and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films '' 101 Reykjavík'', '' The Sea'', '' A Little Trip to Heaven'', '' Contraband ...
. In 2010, Daníel nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council's Music Prize, and won the Kraumur Music Award.
Daníel has also been awarded a grant from the Kristján Eldjárn Memorial Fund.
Discography
Albums
* ''Processions'' (2010) —
Bedroom Community
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
* ''Sólaris'' (with
Ben Frost) (2011) — Bedroom Community
* ''Over Light Earth'' (2013) — Bedroom Community
* ''Djúpið'' (2017) — Bedroom Community
Works
Solo and small chamber works
* ''5 Chinese Poems'' (2001)
* ''4 Seasons of Yosa Buson'' (2003)
* ''Skelja'' (2006)
* ''Fanfare for Harpa'' (2011)
* ''Four Anachronisms'' (2012)
* ''Qui Tollis'' (2013)
* ''Ek Ken Die Nag'' (2014)
* ''Stillshot'' (2015)
Ensemble and chamber orchestra
* ''All Sounds to Silence Come'' (2007)
* ''Over Light Earth'' (2012)
Orchestra
* ''Emergence'' (2011)
* ''Blow Bright'' (2013)
* ''Collider'' (2015)
* ''
From Space I Saw Earth'' ''for three conductors'' (2019)
Solo with ensemble/orchestra
* ''Solitudes'' (2003)
* ''Sleep Variations'' (2005)
* ''Processions'' (2009)
* ''Bow to String'' (2010)
* ''Sólaris'' (2011)
Chorus
* ''Enn Fagnar Heimur'' (2011)
* ''Ek Ken Die Nag'' (2014)
Chorus and orchestra
* ''The Isle Is Full of Noises'' (2012)
Solo voice with ensemble
* ''Larkin Songs'' (2010)
Operas
* ''Brothers'' (2017)
Film scores
* ''Reykjavik Guesthouse'' (2003)
* ''Come To Harm'' (2011)
* ''The Deep'' (2012)
* ''Under The Tree'' (2017)
Music for dance
* ''Smáljón í Sjónmáli'' (2011)
* ''Frames'' - Alexander Whitley/Rambert (2015)
Collaborations
*
Efterklang (Arranging for and performing in live project "Efterklang, Daníel Bjarnason and their Messing Orchestra")
*
Ben Frost (''Sólaris'', ''The Deep'')
*
:fr:Olivia Pedroli (Arranging for and appearing on albums "The Den" and "A Thin Line")
*
Ólöf Arnalds
Ólöf Arnalds (born 4 January 1980) is an Icelandic singer/songwriter and indie musician who has been active within the Icelandic music scene since the early 2000s. She was a touring member of múm for five years from 2003 before launching ...
(Arrangements on albums "Við og við" and "Innundir Skinni")
*
Hjaltalín
Hjaltalín is an Icelandic indie rock band that has published four studio albums as of 2020. Their second record, ''Terminal'', was chosen as the album of the year at the 2010 Icelandic Music Awards. They have also played throughout Europe, most ...
(Arranging for and performing in live project "Alpanon" with Iceland Symphony Orchestra)
*
Sigur Rós (Arrangements on albums "Valtari" and "Kveikur")
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjarnason, Daniel
Daniel Bjarnason
Living people
1979 births
Male classical composers
Daniel Bjarnason
Male conductors (music)
21st-century conductors (music)
21st-century male musicians
Daniel Bjarnason
Hochschule für Musik Freiburg alumni