Við Djúpið

Coordinates: 66°04′N 23°07′W / 66.067°N 23.117°W / 66.067; -23.117

Aerial view of Ísafjörður

Við Djúpið is an annual music festival and a series of summer courses held in the Westfjords of Iceland around summer solstice. The event offers a series of concerts and master classes.

During the last 6 years the festival has offered master classes and concerts with nationally and globally known artists such as the cellist Erling Blöndal Bengtsson and pianist Vovka Ashkenazy with the Pacifica Quartet. Evan Ziporyn, clarinettist, composer and a member of the renowned band Bang on a Can gave a master class and concert in Ísafjörður during Við Djúpið 2007. Among performers at the 2008 festival were Pekka Kuusisto, violinist with Simon Crawford-Phillips, pianist and Håkon Austbø, pianist.

The festival takes place in Ísafjörður and surroundings where music has been part of daily life for a long time. Ísafjörður Music School is the main venue of the festival as well as Rögnvaldur Ólafsson's Art School, which offers great new venues in the Edinborg house.

The master classes are held in close cooperation with the Iceland Academy of the Arts, and are accredited by its Department of Music.^[1]

Specific years

2008

June 17–23

In the classical department, the artists who we proudly presented were: Pekka Kuusisto, violinist with Simon Crawford-Phillips, pianist as well as Norwegian pianist Håkon Austbø. There was an opera workshop led by Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir, soprano and conductor/pianist Kurt Kopecky. Violinist Una Sveinbjarnardóttir taught a chamber music course and a violin course. The jazz sector featured jazz pianist Agnar Már Magnússon who led a class in piano improvisation. Other performers were Anna Guðný Guðmunsdóttir, pianist, Berglind María Tómasdóttir, flutist and Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, pianist.

2007

June 19–24

Erling Blöndal Bengtsson, cellist and Vovka Ashkenazy, pianist held master classes and concerts. A master class in Balinesian music led by Evan Ziporyn, clarinettist, composer and member of the renowned band "Bang on a Can", and Christine Southworth, gamelan musician. The young and inventive Icelandic jazz pianist Davíð Þór Jónsson taught piano improvisation. The Icelandic experimental modern music group Aton appeared in two concerts, one of them a special Midsummernight's concert, which was broadcast nationwide by the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV).

2006

June 20–25

Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir, soprano and Anna Guðný Guðmundsdóttir pianist taught a masterclass and gave a concert. Peter Máté, pianist and Guðrún S. Birgisdóttir, flutist taught a master class. Concerts were also given by pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir and the Icelandic jazz-trio Flís.

References