Efterklang make music for the inspired. But don’t feel left out, for Efterklang inspire all. Otherworldly pop songs, both magnificently ambitious and engagingly intimate. Breathtaking panoramas of sound with few clear antecedents. This is music with no boundaries.

Childhood friends Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer and Rasmus Stolberg grew up on the small Danish island of Als, close to the German border. Fuelled by youthful ambition, the trio moved to Copenhagen where they were joined by Rune Mølgaard and Thomas Husmer, forming Efterklang in December 2000.

Early on, the band instituted a self-sufficient working method that they still apply to everything they do: writing, recording, producing and organizing every element of their music and performance from their Copenhagen bunker.

In 2004 Efterklang signed to The Leaf Label, and their first album Tripper (2004) still stands as the fastest selling debut album in the label’s 15-year history. Their second full-length album, Parades (2007), pushed things to another level. The recordings involved more than 30 guest musicians, including a string quartet, a brass quintet and three separate choirs. The video for the album’s lead single ‘Mirador’ has now racked up over a million (1,000,000!) views on Youtube.

Parades received generous critical acclaim in Denmark and abroad. According to Mojo and Drowned in Sound the album was among the 25 best records released in 2007, while Clash magazine acclaimed it as one of the Top 40 albums in their five-year history. In their native Denmark, Efterklang have been awarded five important music prizes (three Steppeulven in 2007 and two Danish Music Awards in 2008) and topped several album of the year lists.

Efterklang are well-known for their stunning live shows. Following the release of Parades the band took their eight-piece live band on the road for 15 months, playing more than 130 concerts across North America, Asia and Europe. The tour established Efterklang as one of the most fascinating and uplifting live acts around today.

Their most significant performance to date took place at the brand new Koncerthuset in Copenhagen in September 2008. Together with The Danish National Chamber Orchestra they performed the newly orchestrated Parades from start to finish. This special show was a breathtaking, majestic affair and was recorded for posterity in sound and pictures. The recordings will be released in October 2009 as Performing Parades.

Efterklang have already begun work on their third full-length album, with a release expected in the spring of 2010.

Watch: Efterklang – “I Was Playing Drums” (Live)

Noted Icelandic classical composer and conductor, Daniel Bjarnason is garnering widespread acclaim for his debut album, Processions. The album sees Daniel become the fifth artist released on the innovative Bedroom Community label, which is also home to Nico Muhly, Sam Amidon, Ben Frost and Valgeir Sigurdsson (who produced and mixed Processions).

As well as frequently conducting the Icelandic Opera and Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Daniel is the chief conductor and artistic leader for the Isafold Chamber Orchestra. Daniel's Isafold piece "All sounds to silence come" was awarded by the International Composers Rostrum in 2007.

Daniel's work with artists and orchestras bridges the classical and contemporary worlds. For Sigur Rós' epic Abbey Road live recording of Ára bátur, Daniel conducted the London Sinfonietta and London Oratory Boy's Choir. His sought after arrangements have also featured on award winning albums by folk chanteuse Ólöf Arnalds and Icelandic pop sensations, Hjaltalin.

Daniel's program will include 3 pieces from Processions as well as Four seasons of Yosa Buson (2003) and his award winning All sounds to silence come (2007).

Sam Amidon was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, June 3, 1981. His little brother is the great Stefan Amidon, who is a drummer. Sam currently lives in, he forgets, somewhere near New York City.