Nærmynd: Iceland Symphony Orchestra x Hildur Guðnadóttir

Iceland Symphony Orchestra x Hildur Guðnadóttir

Hildur Guðnadóttir (Reykjavik, 1982) is actively making history as one of the most acclaimed (film) composers of her generation. Her music is characterised by an enchanting blend of ambient drone (continuous tones or sound fields underlying a piece of music) and contemporary classical elements. In 2026 is Hildur Guðnadóttir associate artist of the Holland Festival. During Nærmynd, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1950 and celebrated during BBC Proms, in Carnegie Hall and at the Musikverein in Vienna, performs the music of their fellow Icelander for the first time.

Nærmynd

The programme includes selections from Guðnadóttirs award-winning film scores: the spine-chilling intensity of Joker, the subliminal subtleties of TÁR and the ensemble of strings that painted love, distrust, and chaos lurking in the shadows in A Haunting in Venice. These are joined by concert works and two new compositions written by Guðnadóttir especially for this occasion, alongside pieces by artists who inspired her, including Arvo Pärt, Ryuichi Sakamoto (Holland Festival associate artist in 2021), Mica Levi, Kaija Saariaho, and Alvin Lucier. Nærmynd will be conducted by Daníel Bjarnason, one of Iceland’s leading conductors and composers, returning to the Holland Festival after the world premiere of his composition We Came in Peace for All Mankind in 2018 as part of the Holland Festival Proms.