The annual Beethoven and Banjos festival returns this fall with a fresh cross-genre collaboration celebrating Icelandic music. Presented by the Northwoods Music Collaborative, the 2025 edition features guest artists Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir on cello and composer-pianist Haldor Smárason, performing alongside festival founders Evan and Laurel Premo and Executive Director Bette Premo.
Watch cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir play the music of J.S. Bach:
Since its inception, Beethoven and Banjos has paired classical and folk traditions from around the world, emphasizing collaboration and creativity across genres. Over time, the festival has leaned increasingly toward original and contemporary works that highlight the individual strengths of each participating musician.
Learn more about composer/pianist Haldor Smárason (in Icelandic):
This year’s Icelandic theme was inspired by Evan Premo’s musical connection with Thorsteinsdóttir, which began during a fellowship in New York. Both artists share an interest in improvisation and in bridging musical traditions. For Thorsteinsdóttir and Smárason, the partnership reflects Iceland’s fluid approach to genre, where musicians frequently move between classical, folk, and popular styles. Smárason’s compositions often draw from Icelandic folk melodies, and his collaboration with the ensemble this week resulted in a new piece blending traditional material with his own modern sensibilities.
The 2025 program features full-ensemble and small-group performances, exploring Icelandic folk songs, contemporary works, and new arrangements developed collectively during rehearsals. Laurel Premo contributes one of her own compositions for guitar and voice, which the ensemble has expanded into a multi-instrumental piece.
Artistic Director Evan Premo describes the festival’s approach as creating music first and then finding ways to bring audiences into that experience, rather than programming to meet expectations. The result is a concert designed to evoke a sense of place (both the landscapes of Iceland and the familiar beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) while exploring themes of human connection and the relationship between people and nature.
Kurt Hauswirth spoke with the Beethoven and Banjos performers and directors:
Performances will take place in both educational and community settings. The musicians will visit Negaunee Public Schools and Bothwell Middle School on Thursday, October 9, followed by daytime student concerts and an evening community performance at NMU’s Reynolds Recital Hall on Friday, October 10. The tour continues to Nicolet College Theatre in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, on Saturday, October 11, and concludes Sunday, October 12, at the Crystal Theatre in Crystal Falls.
Executive Director Bette Premo notes that these outreach opportunities are central to the festival’s mission, allowing students and community members alike to experience cross-cultural collaboration firsthand.
Ultimately, the 2025 Beethoven and Banjos festival celebrates the universality of music, with its power to connect people across languages, landscapes, and traditions. Audiences are encouraged to come with open hearts and curiosity, ready to explore sound as both cultural exchange and shared expression.
For tickets and more information, visit northwoodsmusiccollaborative.org.
