Beethoven's Eroica

Beethoven's Eroica was a ground-breaking contribution to musical literature – a work that redefined the standards for symphonic form. He is said to have dedicated the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte himself but to have retracted the dedication when Napoleon declared himself Emperor of the French. Nevertheless, the music is inspired by the image of a hero: strong, brave, dynamic. 

Magnus Lindberg is one of the best-known Nordic composers of the present day. He has served as composer-in-residence with the New York Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic and is a recipient of the Nordic Prize. His Violin Concerto from 2006, a rich and complex work where the old meets the new, was described by a New York Times critic as “full of beauty and surprise.” British violinist Jack Liebeck has achieved much at a young age: his recordings for Sony Classical have garnered universal praise, and between concert tours to the far corners of the world, he is a professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music. Daníel Bjarnason, the ISO's artist-in-residence, enjoys constantly growing respect both in Iceland and abroad for compositions and his conducting.