Julia Kaiser is a freelance radio journalists in the areas of music, music performance development and music education. Her project YoungReporters has been developed over many years. In her workshops for young people she passes on her own journalistic experience and passion for her profession as a reporter, addressing teenagers and young adults and all people with special needs.
YoungReporters writers‘ hub at Gröndalshús
YoungReporters at Dark Music Days, 17 JahreHow pleasant to have such a prestigous writers‘ hub during Dark Music Days 2023.
Dragged into a magical world
Lilja Sól Helgadóttir, 17 JahreEntering Harpa, shining in the pouring rain, gives one a warm and happy feeling. Although Reykjavík’s concerthall is on every guide’s list, coming here does not take you into another tourist trap, but prepares you for the real magic of an intense music experience.
Music in the Dark
Inga Margrét Bragadóttir, 17 JahreJanuary is not an enjoyable month in Iceland. But amid the cold and windy days, a festival is held – a music festival.
Growing downwards
Solvéig Gabriela , 15 JahreBára describes SILVA to be built on the idea of a downward growing forest, when I ask her after the concert. She is intrigued at the thought of life that usually reaches and stretches towards light and air, just the other way around.
A Multicultural Sense of Wonder
Sóley Anna Jónsdóttir, 19 JahreThere’s something in the air. The music floats around, one can never quite place a finger on it but everyone can feel it from deep within.
What you think of next
Lára Ruth Clausen, 19 JahreMusic that has no boundaries, it simply is what we want, when we want it.
Composing personality
Hugi Garðarsson, 25 JahreHarpa is hosting many of the Dark Music Days concerts. One program is called „Flekarnir“, tectonic plates in English, and includes pieces from various Icelandic composers.
A Modern Homage to the Past
Alvilda Eyvör Elmarsdóttir, 18 JahreI am admittedly not the biggest fan of modern day classical music and as we are walking into the hall of Eldborg, I feel a tad nervous about what is to come.
Capriccio
Snædís Birna Brynjarsdóttir, 16 JahreCapriccio is a beautiful work done by Áskel Másson, it’s magical the entire time and makes you feel more alive.
Elf king in ancient Greece
Lilja Sól Helgadóttir, 17 JahreMeeting composer Úlfur Hansson, and getting to listen to his emotinful piece called Stoicheia was quite an experience.
Wavy music in Iceland
Daníel Kári Jónsson, 20 JahreKjartan himself describes his piece as a colourful wavy journey and I think he executed it very well. I could imagine the sea glimmering in the sun. Truly a night to remember in Harpa.
“I felt like I was in an airplane”
Amelia April Steel, 18 JahreQuite the impressive concert took place in Harpan, consisting of pieces by Kjartan Ólafsson, Haukur Tómasson, Ingibjörg Ýr Skarphéðinsdóttir, Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson and Áskell Másson. Ingibjörg’s work really stood out to me!
Engines in the Head
Lúkas Þorlákur Jones, 19 JahreA moving piece that fully deserves its praise and gives an intimate and personal perspective on a traumatic part of someone’s life.
Copper world
Andreas Guðmundsson, 22 Jahre“Capriccio” by Áskell Másson starts very energetically and quickly, the small Darabuka drum, played by the composer himself, starts establishing an interesting rhythm that continues throughout most of the piece.
NMD Impact
Daniela Amado, 28 JahreI walk wide-eyed into Harpa, the steel honeycomb prism that anyone in Reykjavik recognizes as the most prestigious venue in Iceland. Coming from a Latin American country, everything from the design to the inner workings of a first class arts institution fascinates me.
Overall happiness
Lilja Sól Helgadóttir, 17 JahreSome of the pieces were just so beautiful! Harpist Katie Buckley and Frank Aarnink, the percussionist who plays that „stuss“, form the Duo Harpverk – were playing amazing throughout the concert.
Eternally
Fannar Árni Ágústsson, 16 JahreHáttatal by Guðmundur managed to give me a glimpse of a world of music that, until now, has been unknown to me and for that, I will be eternally grateful.
Viðtal við Ernu Völu
Hugi Garðarsson, 24 JahreLast Wednesday I went to a Nordic Music Days concert starring Siggi String Quartet. They had two guest performers in Fabian Svensson’s „Five Obsessive Movements“, playing a melodica and a toy piano. I had a little chat with the pianist, Erna Vala Arnardóttir.
Eating pigs in front of pigs
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreHave you ever eaten pork while standing besides a pig? Have you ever talked about slaughtering pigs in front of pigs? No? Composer Mathias Monrad Møller was letting people try that at the Reykjavík zoo, it was strange but very, very interesting.
Grisaille
Lilja Sól Helgasdóttir, 17 JahreDuring the world premiere of Gunnar Karel Másson’s piece in Harpa, I wrote this poem.
Podcast: Siggi String Quartet
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreStyrmir and Hugi discussing the concert of Siggi String Quartet, featuring Ásthildur Ákadóttir, melodica and Erna Vala Arnardóttir, toy piano
Nýtt og norrænt – new and Nordic
Young Reporters at MIT Reykjavík, 17 JahreIceland Symphony Orchestra in cooperation with Nordic Music Days 2022 performed five works at Harpa concert hall. Best thing: 25 students of Menntaskóli í tónlist, the Reykjavík Music School, were attending the concert first row. Here is what they wrote…
This man has more time than anyone else
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreGunnar Karel Masson is an Icelandic composer whose work will be performed by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at the Nordic Music Days. His piece is called „Grisaille“ and Gunnar completed the writing of the piece in August, so the people at the concert will be attending the world premiere!
All at once
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreMarcella Lucatelli started as a classical singer and was interested in making her own staged works, really pushing the visuals and the moments as well as the aesthetics of it. Therefore, she became a composer accidentally.
Minds blown by the Pinquins
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreThe Pinquins appear several times in the Nordic Music Days. It is not only music you hear, it is a whole show for your eyes as well – this is art!
Blue lantern to light the path into sound future
Styrmir Palsson, 19 JahreMari Garrigue is playing first in the opening concert of the Nordic Music Days 2022 – what an honour! There she is, with a blue metal case that turns out to be a discarded lantern…
Four necks and the voice of a popstar
Hugi Garðarsson, 24 JahreThor Magnusson and his team at Intelligent Instruments Lab at LHÍ are developing more advanced ways of instrument buildinging, mixed with computer sciences and programming.
Interviewing the inventor of IIL – Thor Magnusson
Hugi Garðarsson, 24 Jahre„Future Music“ is the exciting field Thor Magnousson is a professor in at the University of Sussex. Here in Reykjavík, he works as a pricipal investigator at the Intelligent Instruments Lab – meaning, he brought this exciting Laboratory to live.
Intelligent Instruments Lab Workshop – Part II
Daniela Amado, 28 JahreDaniela interviewing instrument designer Mari.
Checking out Intelligent Instruments – Part I
Daniela Amado, 28 JahreDaniela trying out a reverb instrument for singing voice.
Like a bees‘ hive – Intelligent Instruments Lab
Daniela Amado, 28 JahreA constant loop of controlled noise and intermittent buzzing lives within a yellow, acoustically-paneled room at Listaháskoli Íslands, Iceland’s arts university. In this laboratory for intelligent instruments, the buzzing is two-fold.
Nordic Music Days about to start
JungeReporter from Iceland, 22 JahreA team of young reporters from Reykjavík will write about Nordic Music Days 2022 in Iceland. Looking forward to meet composers, musicians and instrument inventors from the north!