The Orchestra

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra is Iceland's national orchestra and a cornerstone of the country's cultural landscape.

The orchestra's home is the award-winning Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik. Widely praised for its performances and recordings, the orchestra presents a full season of subscription series each year; school and family concerts, and concerts devoted to new music.

Eva Ollikainen is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the orchestra, position previously held by distinguished conductors including Osmo Vanska, Petri Sakari, Jean-Pierre Jacquillat, llan Volkov and Yan Pascal Tortelier. Anna Thorvaldsdottir, composer, and Daniel Bjarnason, composer and conductor, are Artists in Association with the orchestra.

Barbara Hannigan will assume the role of Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra beginning with the 2026/27 season.

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra offers a variety of programs, spanning everything from well-known classics to world premiere performances of new works by Icelandic and international composers. A commitment to performing new Icelandic music has been widely praised and recordings by Deutsche Grammophon, BIS, Chandos, Naxos and Sono Luminus include accolades such as MIDEM-awards and Grammy Award nominations for Best Orchestral Performance.

The majority of the orchestra's concerts are broadcast live on radio by the National Broadcasting Service and selected concerts are televised on national TV. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has appeared widely throughout Europe and beyond, including performances at the BBC Proms, the Wiener Musikverein, New York's Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.