Reykjavík Grapevine - jun. 2023, Síða 24

The Reykjavík Grapevine 6 / 23 24Music
Music News
On May 8, Alþingi passed compre-
hensive new legislation on music
policy. Minister of Culture Lilja Dögg
Alfreðsdóttir’s bill is a landmark
piece of legislation for the music
industry as it draws up formal sup-
port for a more favourable music
landscape. Among other things, the
bill introduces the establishment of
a Music Centre, incorporating the
many disparate institutions operating
in the industry. The new Music Centre
is set to open later in 2023, with no
official date given. In any case, the
bill provides formal grounds for a
variety of new options for Icelandic
musicians.
The American indie-slacker, alt-
rock band Pavement is set to play
in Iceland on July 27, and 29. The
band will take on Harpa on their
first visit to Iceland. One of three
warm-up acts has been announced
– post-hardcore band Botnleðja.
Starting out with their victory of
Músíktilraunir in 1995, Botnleðja
released six albums during their
lifetime. In 2011, they reunited,
to the joy of many 90’s grunge fans.
With the release of Blur’s “Song 2”,
speculations arose about whether
Damon Albarn stole the hook from
Botnleðja’s “Þið eruð frábær.” No
verdict is in, but it never looked
good for Damon.
The Danish Spot showcase festival
was held in Århus, Denmark, on
May 5–6. The festival’s overall goal
is to highlight the up-and-coming
music talent from Denmark and
the Nordic countries. In Iceland,
Reykja vík Music City in collabo-
ration with Iceland Airwaves issued
a call for applications to the festival,
and the band Superserious was
ultimately chosen from applicants
to make Iceland proud in the land
of our former overlords. Pop queen
Bríet was also booked to perform
at the festival, having been selected
by the organising committee.
Alþingi Passes New Music
Policy Bill
Botnleðja Supports Pavement
Superserious Secures Spot
WORDS Jóhannes Bjarkason
IMAGES Art Bicnick
K orda Samfónía is Iceland’s
most unusual band. With a flexible
line-up of members – currently
numbering around 35 – the band
consists of music students from
the Iceland University of Arts and
people from occupational rehabili-
tation centres.
The idea for the eclectic supergroup
originates from musician and com-
munity organiser Sigrún Sævars-
dóttir Griffiths, who studied at the
Guildhall School of Music and Dra-
ma in England. Sigrún established
the community-interest company
MetamorPhonics to operate mu-
sic rehabilitation projects, of which
currently there are eight – one in Los
Angeles, two in the United Kingdom
and five here in Iceland.
MetamorPhonics established its
first band, the London-based The
Messengers, under its umbrella in
2012. A collaboration project with
homeless charities in the U.K., the
band comprises Guildhall students
and unhoused individuals.
Korda Samfónía was formed almost
10 years later. The fourth Icelandic
band to be established within Meta -
morPhonics, Korda Samfónía in-
cludes representatives from each
of the three other community bands;
360° in Suðurnes; Barlómur in Akra-
nes; and Hamarinn in Hafnar fjörður.
The most distinct feature: all the
groups include people currently
in occupational rehabilitation.
With each band only meeting a hand -
ful of times a year to write and re-
hearse their material, each session
is short and efficient. For Korda, they
meet 10 times a year in three sepa-
rate rounds.
ONE BAD DAY AWAY
FROM CATASTROPHE
Sævar Helgi Jóhannsson and Jón
G. Breiðfjörð are members of Korda
Samfónía, having been introduced
to the concept through their stud-
ies at the Iceland University of Arts.
Jón now serves as a volunteer and
Sævar is a member of Korda’s lead-
ership team.
“I got into the program when I stud-
ied Music Communication at the uni-
versity,” says Jón. “We collaborated
with refugees and immigrants, went
to primary schools and worked with
children. It was this idea of being
able to help people through music
that attracted me to the concept.”
“When you meet these people and
hear their stories, I feel like it could
be anyone,” Sævar adds. “We’re all
just one bad day away from being
in a similar position. It has taught
me immense compassion for other
Feature The Most Unusual
Band In Iceland
Finding the music and healing with Korda Samfónía