Artist-in-Residence

Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is one of the most acclaimed soloists in the classical music world. With his warm touch and passionate musicality, he attracts huge audiences. This season, he is the Artist-in-Residence at the Concert Hall.

Here, we get to meet him in Brahms's magnificent first piano concerto. He returns on two more occasions during the season, first in a recital where he plays Beethoven's last three piano sonatas, and then with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Brahms's second piano concerto. For this first visit, it's Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft who conducts.

The concert opens with Anders Hillborg's dazzlingly elegant Sound Atlas. The glass harmonica – an instrument where fingers are rubbed on tuned glass bells – plays a significant role in the piece, contributing to the music's crystalline character. Additionally, we hear music by the Welsh pioneer Grace Williams. Her Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon is based on ancient Welsh tales.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is one of the most acclaimed soloists in the classical music world. With his warm touch and passionate musicality, he attracts huge audiences. This season, he is the Artist-in-Residence at the Concert Hall.

Here, we get to meet him in Brahms's magnificent first piano concerto. He returns on two more occasions during the season, first in a recital where he plays Beethoven's last three piano sonatas, and then with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Brahms's second piano concerto. For this first visit, it's Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft who conducts.

The concert opens with Anders Hillborg's dazzlingly elegant Sound Atlas. The glass harmonica – an instrument where fingers are rubbed on tuned glass bells – plays a significant role in the piece, contributing to the music's crystalline character. Additionally, we hear music by the Welsh pioneer Grace Williams. Her Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon is based on ancient Welsh tales.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is currently one of the most acclaimed and sought-after pianists in the world. The New York Times coined him ”Iceland's Glenn Gould”, and his recordings are showered with five-star reviews. This season, he is the Artist-in-Residence at Konserthuset Stockholm.

Following the success of Bach's Goldberg Variations, which he performed to a full house here at Konserthuset last season, he takes on another of classical music's great B's this season – Beethoven. At this solo recital, we hear Beethoven's late piano sonatas.

Beethoven is never predictable, and in his final sonatas, he is reflective and melancholic, ecstatically passionate, humorous, and life-affirming; the music is like a whole life story. ”Beethoven's last three sonatas are a kind of testament”, says Víkingur Ólafsson.

Icelandic Víkingur Ólafsson is currently one of the world's most acclaimed and sought-after pianists. The New York Times coined him ”Iceland's Glenn Gould”, and his recordings are showered with five-star reviews. This season, he is the Artist-in-Residence at Konserthuset Stockholm.

Following the success of Bach's Goldberg Variations, which he performed to a full house here at Konserthuset last season, he now takes on another of the classical music world's great B's – Brahms. He presents Beethoven's late piano sonatas in a solo recital a few days before this concert, and now Brahms with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Brahms was at the height of his fame and ironically referred to composing a "tiny piano concerto" in letters. It is, of course, quite the opposite, with music brimming with drama, passion, and sincerity. Unlike his first, Brahms's second piano concerto was a success right from its premiere.

French conductor Stéphane Denève also leads the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in American Stacy Garrop's beautiful Penelope Waits from 2013, inspired by Greek mythology, and mythological music with dance themes by Paul Dukas and Richard Strauss.

Icelandic Víkingur Ólafsson is currently one of the world's most acclaimed and sought-after pianists. The New York Times coined him ”Iceland's Glenn Gould”, and his recordings are showered with five-star reviews. This season, he is the Artist-in-Residence at Konserthuset Stockholm.

Following the success of Bach's Goldberg Variations, which he performed to a full house here at Konserthuset last season, he now takes on another of the classical music world's great B's – Brahms. He presents Beethoven's late piano sonatas in a solo recital a few days before this concert, and now Brahms with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Brahms was at the height of his fame and ironically referred to composing a "tiny piano concerto" in letters. It is, of course, quite the opposite, with music brimming with drama, passion, and sincerity. Unlike his first, Brahms's second piano concerto was a success right from its premiere.

French conductor Stéphane Denève also leads the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in American Stacy Garrop's beautiful Penelope Waits from 2013, inspired by Greek mythology, and mythological music with dance themes by Paul Dukas and Richard Strauss.