‘+’
**Nordic Affect**

Harpa Norðurljós
8:30 PM
**January 25th**

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A wish to forge new relations through music making prompted Nordic Affect’s artistic director to invite four composers to explore composition from the thematic angle of ‘+‘. The result is a diverse set of works by Davíð Brynjar Franzson (IS), Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir (IS), rebecca bruton (CA) and Úlfur Hansson (IS), that work with the thematics through for example the introduction of AI, hijacking of instruments, object-environment relations as well as indeterminate score shaped by more-than-human directives.

Programme:

Imprint - Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir
The word ‘plum’; the thought of a glow-worm - Rebecca Bruton
Fragments, work in progress, wandering - Davíð Brynjar Franzson
Stoicheia - Úlfur Hansson

Icelandic Ensemble Nordic Affect has been hailed as ‘multi-disciplinary force of nature’ (A Closer Listen), as gem in Iceland’s music life (Fréttablaðið) and for ‘ineffable synergy between the performers’ (San Francisco Classical Voice). Founded in 2005, Nordic Affect (Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir, violin; Marie Stockmarr Becker, viola; Hanna Loftsdóttir, cello; Guðrún Óskarsdóttir, harpsichord) was formed by a group of period instrument musicians who were united in their passion for viewing familiar musical forms from a different perspective and for daring to venture into new musical terrain. The commissioning and performance of new works is integral to Nordic Affect’s mission as it has, from the group’s inception, combined new compositions with the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Believing that exciting things happen ‘in the connection’, Nordic Affect has through the years established exciting collaborative relationships with composers, visual artists and producers. Nordic Affect has brought its music-making to contemporary and rock audiences alike and performed to critical acclaim at festivals such as TRANSIT Festival (BE), Dark Music Days (IS), November Music (NL), Skaņu Mežs Festival (LV), Iceland Airwaves (IS), Ensems Festival (SP), North Atlantic Flux (UK) KLANG Festival (DK), Imago Dei (AU) and Estonian Music Days (EE). The ensemble has been nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize, named Performer of the Year at the Iceland Music Awards and was ensemble-in-residence at Dark Music Days 2017-19. Furthermore, they have toured the U.S. twice, Nordic Affect was featured in 2017 at Los Angeles Philharmonic's Reykjavik Festival, and has also performed at National Sawdust in New York, Constellation in Chicago, and at the UC Berkeley Art Museum. Since their debut album in 2007, Nordic Affect's performances can be found on the Deutsche Grammophon, Bad Taste Records, Musmap, Brilliant Classics, Sono Luminus and Carrier Records labels. Their latest album, He(a)r was nominated for the Iceland Music Award and Kraumur Prize and made various best-of-the-year-lists, including the Boston Globe, I Care if You Listen, Yahoo Entertainment and Second Inversion. The artistic director of Nordic Affect since its foundation has been Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir. Nordic Affect is supported by the The Icelandic Ministry of Culture’s Music Fund and Reykjavík City.

Nordic Affect

Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir (fiðla/violin), Marie Stockmarr Becker (víóla/viola), Hanna Loftsdóttir (selló/cello), Guðrún Óskarsdóttir (semball/harpsichord). Special guests: Davíð Brynjar Franzson (gervigreind/artificial intelligence), Úlfur Hansson (segulharpa/magnetic harp)