CURRICULUM VITAE

Current appointment:

Iceland University of the Arts in Reykjavík, since 2016:

– Professor of composition and programme director of the MA level in composition.

– Lecturer in 20th century music, analysis, composition methods and music philosophy.

– Researcher on the Khallam format for music composition and performance as well as on the musical aspects of prosody.

and

Kópavogur Music School, since 2006

– Weekly lessons on tonal harmony

Music theatre:

Cinnober Teater, Gothenburg, Sweden:

– 2016: Njals Saga, a burned Opera. Text from Njals Saga, reassembled by Ludvig Uhlbors.

Staged in Gothenburg and Oslo.

– 2012: Play Alter Native. Text by Finn Iunker, arranged by Atli Ingólfsson.

Staged in Gothenburg and in a new Icelandic translation in Hafnarfjordur 2017.

– 2006: Suzannah. Text by Jon Fosse, arranged by Atli Ingólfsson and Svante Aulis

Löwenborg. Staged in Gothenburg, Oslo and Reykjavik.

A partial list of other commissioned works:

2018_Messaggio dal vetraio for violin and six instruments. Performed in Iceland and Shanghai.

2016_Pregnant for sax quartet, string trio and percussion. Premiered in Cologne.

2014_Cottbus Diptych I and II for orchestra. Premiered in Cottbus.

2014_Idioclick for solo violin. Premiered in Kópavogur.

2013_Final theme… for piano and orchestra. Premiered by Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ilan Volkov.

2011_Mani for orchestra. Premiered by the Cottbus Theatre Orchestra.

2010_Forbidden Mantra for sextet. Reykjavík Arts Festival.

2009_Elsku Borga mín for choir. Skálholt cultural centre, South of Iceland.

2007_The Blessings of Madness for quintet. Premiere in Berlin.

2006_Snap for quintet and electronics. Premiered in Stockholm, Ensemble Alter Ego and Pan Sonic, subsequently touring six European cities.

2006_Brain Trill for alto saxophone. Premiered by Rolf-Erik Nyström in Oslo.

2005_Play and Destroy for quintet and electronics. Premiered by Ensemble Sillages, Nice.

2004_Is Anybody There? for clarinet and string ensemble. Premiered in Växsjö, Sweden.

2004_Cono di fede for contrabass. Premiered by Hávardur Tryggvason, Reykjavík.

2004_Radioflakes for accordion. Premiered by Frode Haltli at Radio France.

2003_Sulphur Pulse for six percussionists. Premiered by Les percussions de Strasbourg.

2003_Orchestra B for orchestra. Premiered by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

2002_Trust Me for clarinet, viola and piano. Premiered by Trio Obscura in Malmö.

2002_Di, cocorita for voice, violin, cello and percussion. Premiered at the Venice Biennale.

2000_Object of Terror for ensemble. Premiered by the Caput Ensemble in Kópavogur.

1999_HZH, Streichquartett 1. Premiered by the Arditti Quartet at the Berlin Biennale.

1998_Flecte Lapis for keyboard and sampler. Premiered in Stockholm.

1996_The Elves’ Accent for quintet. Premiered by the Caput Ensemble.

1994_Envoi for midipiano and ensemble. Premiered by Ensemble Intercontemporain at IRCAM.

1993_La métrique du cri. Premiered by Ensemble l’Itinéraire.

1991_Le pas, les pentes for 9 instruments. Premiered in Milan by the Avanti Ensemble from Helsinki.

1991_O versa for piano and 12 instruments. Premiered in Reykjavík.

1990_A verso for solo piano. Premiered by Edda Erlendsdóttir in Paris.

Published writings

2021_”Bygging raddskúlptúrs” and “Elsku Borga mín, skáldlegar forsendur” in Veðurskeyti frá Ásgarði, ferðahandbók um tónverk (e.Weather Report from Asgard Farm, a tour guide through a composition). JPV Editions, Reykjavík.

2020_Hverju hvísla músurnar?(e. The Whisper of the Muses) in Són, tímarit um óðfræði.

2016-2020_[five articles in Þræðir, the IUA music department’s online review]

2018_The Opera Form: Six Observations in Tempo, Cambridge University Press, 2018.

2016_Sex alhæfingar um óperuformið, Skírnir literary review spring 2016.

2009_Hljómamál (a basic harmony method). Bjartur, Reykjavík.

2001_Texture et analyse chez Gérard Grisey, Revue d’analyse musicale (38).

1996_Musica astratta e l’immagine, Cabiria, review on cinema.

1994_Að syngja á íslensku (e. To Sing in Icelandic), Skírnir literary review (168).

1985_Ljóstur, a book of verse. Forlagið, Reykjavík 1985.

besides occasional articles on music and original and translated poetry in Icelandic reviews and newspapers and liner notes for other’s CDs.

Published scores

2022_Samt á ég eftir að segja þér for choir, in Veðurskeyti frá Ásgarði, JPV 2022.

2021_Tíu lög fyrir góða kóra (ten songs for good choirs), AI Reykjavík (see Iceland Music Information Centre)

1996-2005_At BMG-Ricordi, Milan: Snap, La métrique du cri, HZH: Streichquartett 1, Object of Terror, The Elves’Accent, L’atleta, Sulphur pulse.

Published recordings (CD and online)

2022_Elsku Borga mín for choir. [Texts: JPV Editions, Reykjavík]

2021_Snap for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and keyboard. [Die Schachtel DS42/2]

2021_atloid 104, lascito for solo piano. Susanne Kessel, Köln. [Bandcamp]

2018_Pregnant for saxophone quartet, string trio and percussion [Neos 118-11]

2017_Orgoras Speaks for two clarinets and six instruments [Neos 11708]

2015_Opna for clarinet and marimba [ITM 907]

2011_Mani for orchestra [TELOS MUSIC TLS 166]

2008_Ma la melodia for solo piano [OEHMS Classics OC 813]

2005_The Elves’Accent, Object of Terror, HZH:Streichquartett 1, La métrique du cri, Flecte Lapis II [BIS 1298]

1990-2000 The following works appear on different CDs in Iceland, Italy, Japan and France:A verso for piano, Due Bagattelle for clarinet, Et toi pâle Soleil for voices, Musubi for trumpet and percussion, Berging for flute and Vink II for quintet.

Lectures

At the Reykjavík School of Music, the Conservatories in Bologna and Cesena and the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, twice at the Royal Music Academy in Stockholm, the Music departments in Malmö and Göteborg, Musikhochschule in Cologne and in Hamburg, The Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Shorter introductory lectures at music festivals such as Portes Ouvertes at IRCAM in 1998, Regola Gioco in Milan 1998, Musicmarathon in Prague 1999.

Beside introductory lectures and analysis of my own work the subjects of my lectures have been: Prosody and music, The quest for pure gesture: On technique and intuition, Spectral Music, The Khallam Papers project, and a memorable lecture in Shanghai on the opera form.

Education

1992_Summer course in computer music at IRCAM

1988_Summer course with Franco Donatoni at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena

1988-1990_Private lessons with Gérard Grisey and guest student at the CNSMP

1985-1988_ Studies at the Milan Conservatory with Davide Anzaghi

1986_BA degree in philosophy at the University of Iceland

1984_Final exam in theory and composition from the Reykjavík College of Music, after studies with Thorkell Sigurbjornsson and Atli Heimir Sveinsson

1983_Diploma in classical guitar, Reykjavík School of Music

Born in Keflavík, Iceland in 1962