Principal Bassoon (Temporary Full-Time Position)

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra invites applications for a temporary full-time position as Principal Bassoon.

The appointment runs from 19 October 2026 until mid-December 2027.

The successful candidate will join one of the leading orchestras in the Nordic region and will work closely with Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Designate Barbara Hannigan, who assumes her position with the orchestra in autumn 2026.

Application Procedure

The first stage of the selection process will be based on:

Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Copies of relevant diplomas and certificates
Video recordings as specified below

Applications should be submitted by 31 August 2026 by email to: starf@sinfonia.is

Please include "Principal Bassoon Application" in the subject line.

Due to the short timeline for this appointment, only applicants who are citizens of the European Union/European Economic Area or who already hold the appropriate authorization to work in Iceland will be considered.

Video Round

Applicants are asked to submit two unedited video recordings.

Video 1 – Solo Repertoire

One continuous, unedited recording of:

Camille Saint-Saëns: Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 168
First movement
Second movement
Piano accompaniment is required.

Video 2 – Orchestral Excerpts

One continuous, unedited recording containing the following excerpts in the order listed below:

Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps – Introduction
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade – Second movement including cadenzas
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 – Fourth and Fifth movements
Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major – Second and Third movements
Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 – Second movement
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro Overture
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 – Second movement

The recordings must:

• be recorded in a single take without edits or cuts within each video;
• clearly show both the applicant and the instrument;
• contain no spoken introductions or announcements;
• be submitted as video links or downloadable files.

About the Position

This is a full-time temporary position within the bassoon section of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Salary and benefits are subject to the collective wage agreements between the Association of Iceland Symphony Orchestra Players and the Icelandic government.

Applicants are expected to possess a university-level education in instrumental performance or equivalent professional experience.

About the Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1950, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of Iceland and employs 87 permanent musicians.

The orchestra presents approximately 100 concerts annually, including subscription concerts with internationally renowned conductors and soloists, educational concerts, recordings, tours and special projects.

The orchestra performs in the award-winning Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík and has established an international reputation through its recordings and performances both in Iceland and abroad.

The orchestra's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director is Eva Ollikainen, with Barbara Hannigan succeeding her in autumn 2026.

Further information about the orchestra can be found at Iceland Symphony Orchestra website or by contacting the Human Resources Director at starf@sinfonia.is.