Commissions by LA Phil, LA Children's Chorus and American Youth Symphony Nominated for Icelandic Music Awards

Commissions from three leading Los Angeles-based musical organizations have earned noted Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason two coveted nominations from the Icelandic Music Awards: Composer of the Year for his 2012 compositions The isle is full of noises, co-commissioned by the Los AngeLes Children's Chorus and the American Youth Symphony, and Over Light Earth, commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic; and Composition of the Year for The isle is full of noises. The works were premiered by the commissioning organizations at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on separate occasions last year. The Icelandic Music Awards are slated for Wednesday, February 20, 2013 in Reykjavik, Iceland. In 2010, Bjarnason won the prestigious Best Composer and Best Composition categories at the Icelandic Music Awards for his work Processions.

Click HERE to check out the full list of nominations!

James Conlon conducted co-commissioners Los AngeLes Children's Chorus (LACC) and the American Youth Symphony (AYS) in the world premiere of The isle is full of noises, which is based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, on March 4, 2012, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Sounds About Town series.

Says LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, "We are delighted that Daniel has been nominated for these extremely prestigious - and well deserved - awards by his peers. It speaks volumes about his incredible talent and artistry. Collaborating with him on The isle is full of noises, which is skillfully and beautifully written, was a true pleasure."

Adds AYS Music Director Alexander Treger, "It is an honor for AYS and LACC to be the impetus for this piece. Its broad range of musical sound color reflects Daníel's own eclectic musical background. He is considered one of the world's most intriguing composers and has written for artists ranging from the London Sinfonietta to the post-rock group Sigur Rós."

Deborah Borda, President and CEO of the LA Phil states, "We have a successful and ongoing relationship with the composer Daniel Bjarnason. The piece commissioned by the LA Philharmonic has resulted in Daniel's nomination for this award. We are thrilled that our platform in Los Angeles has highlighted one of the world's most interesting young voices. We wish Daniel every success and look forward to working with him again in the 2013/14 season where we have commissioned a full orchestral work from him for our North American tour."

The Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by LA Phil Creative Chair John Adams, premiered Bjarnason's Over Light Earth, which was commissioned by the orchestra, on October 16, 2012, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, in the first Green Umbrella series concert of the 2012/13 season. Over Light Earth is inspired by paintings of Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollack.

Bjarnason garnered widespread acclaim for his debut album, Processions (2010), with Time Out NY declaring that Bjarnason "create(s) a sound that comes eerily close to defining classical music's undefinable brave new world." Both a conductor and composer, he has worked with a range of ensembles, including the London Sinfonietta, Ulster Orchestra and Sinfonietta Cracovia. He also regularly conducts both the Icelandic Opera and Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Bjarnason has won numerous awards and grants and has twice been awarded a special recommendation for his work at the International Rostrum for Composers. In 2010, he was nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council's Music Prize and won the Kraumur Music Award. The same year, Processions won the coveted Best Composer/Best Composition categories at the Icelandic Music Awards. Bjarnason's versatility as an arranger and conductor has led to collaborations with a broad array of musicians outside the classical field, including Sigur Rós, Efterklang, múm and Ólöf Arnalds, among others.

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