A
festive concert with Bach's beloved Christmas Oratorio to celebrate the
beginning of the 40th season of the Motet Choir and The Reykjavik Friends of
the Arts Society. Performers: The Motet Choir in Reykjavik, The Reykjavik
International Baroque Orchestra, concertmaster Tuomo Suni (
FI), Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir soprano, Alex Potter counter -tenor, Benjamin
Glaubitz tenor and Jóhann Kristinsson bass. Conductor is Hörður
Áskelsson, Artistic Director of The Reykjavik Friends of the Arts
Society.
The Motet Choir, founded in 1982, has long been one of
the leading choirs in Iceland. Its large and diverse repertoire includes a
number of oratorios, passions and requiems, as well as a cappella sacred music
from various periods. The choir has also premiered many Icelandic compositions.
The choir has toured widely and performed in some of Europe’s most prominent
cathedrals and at various festivals. The Motet Choir has recorded and released
many CDs earning international acclaim as well as winning prizes at Choir
Festivals including the Grand Prix prize at the Festival Cancó Mediterrània in
Spain in 2014.
The Reykjavík International Baroque Orchestra is comprised of some of the finest musicians
around the world, most having studied at the Royal Conservatory
of The Hague, one of the leading academies in baroque performance. The members
have established themselves as highly sought after musicians in Europe, now
regularly performing with some of theworld‘s leading ensembles and orchestras
under the baton of acclaimed directors. These include the Ricercar Consort, Les
Arts Florissants, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium Japan, Concerto
Copenhagen, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Gabrieli Consort &
Players, Collegium Vocale Gent, Capriccio Stravagante and Orchestre des
Champs-Elysées, and directors such as Philippe Pierlot, William Christie,
Masaaki Suzuki, Skip Sempé and Philippe Herreweghe. Members of The Reykjavik
International Baroque Orchestra have frequently visited Iceland since 2004 and
played under under the direction of Hörður
Áskelsson , receiving wide acclaim for their performances.
Hörður Áskelsson was the main organist and cantor
in Hallgrímskirkja from June 1982- June 2021. In the year 1982 he founded the
Motet Choir of Hallgrímskirkja and was instigator of the founding of the
Friends of the Arts Society of Hallgrímskirkja- now the Reykjavik Friends of
the Arts Society. In 1996 Áskelsson founded the chamber choir Schola
cantorum, which has already become one of Iceland’s most respected choirs.
Hörður Áskelsson has received much recognition and conducted many oratorios,
often with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and premiered a number of Icelandic
compositions.With his choirs he has participated in various music festivals and
international competitions, winning prizes. He has received many prizes including
the Icelandic Music Prize in 2002 and the distinguished Knight’s Cross of the
Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 2004. Hörður Áskelsson has also been a teacher
of the organ and choir conducting at the Iceland National Church’s Music School
and from 2005-2011 Hörður Áskelsson was the Church Music Director of the
National Church of Iceland.