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10 Icelandic Classical Composers You Should Know (Because Gimli is Basically Little Iceland This Weekend)

It’s that time of year again—when the town of Gimli, Manitoba turns into a sea of Viking helmets, skyr, and family fun for the annual Íslendingadagurinn (a.k.a. the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba). And while we’re all about the Islendingadunk and finding out who can yell “Islendingadagurinn” three times fast, we thought we’d add a little classical class to the festivities.

After all, Iceland isn’t just home to geysers, Björk, and atmospheric Netflix thrillers—it’s also produced some seriously cool classical composers.

So, in honour of Gimli’s Icelandic roots, here are 10 Icelandic classical composers worth checking out (and maybe streaming on your drive up to the lake this weekend):

🎼 1. Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson (1847–1927)
Let’s start with the grandfather of them all. Sveinbjörnsson was the first Icelander to make a living as a composer—and yes, he wrote Lofsöngur, the Icelandic national anthem. A trailblazer with serious 19th-century romantic vibes.

🎼 2. Jón Leifs (1899–1968)
The volcano whisperer. Jón’s music is dramatic, mythic, and loud in the best possible way. He turned Iceland’s landscapes and legends into full-blown orchestral epics.

🎼 3. Anna Thorvaldsdottir (b. 1977)
Internationally acclaimed and deeply atmospheric. Her music feels like walking alone through a lava field during a foggy sunrise. Haunting, vast, and totally mesmerizing.

🎼 4. Hildur Guðnadóttir (b. 1982)
Sure, she won an Oscar for Joker, but Hildur’s roots are in experimental classical music. A cellist-composer who crafts sound worlds full of eerie beauty and depth.

🎼 5. Daníel Bjarnason (b. 1979)
Modern, moody, and melodically rich. Daníel fuses classical tradition with cinematic flair. He’s collaborated with Sigur Rós, but his own compositions are just as compelling.

🎼 6. Atli Heimir Sveinsson (1938–2019)
A prolific and pioneering figure in Iceland’s modern classical scene. From orchestral works to electronic experiments, Atli was never afraid to take risks.

🎼 7. Haukur Tómasson (b. 1960)
A master of texture and rhythm, Haukur’s music often draws from ancient Icelandic scales and structures, but twists them in bold new directions.

🎼 8. Áskell Másson (b. 1953)
A percussionist with a composer’s brain—or vice versa. Áskell's music is rhythmic, raw, and riveting. His snare drum solo Prim is a rite of passage for percussionists worldwide.

🎼 9. Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson (1938–2013)
A respected church musician and choral composer, Þorkell brought elegance and soul to sacred music, with melodies that continue to resonate in Icelandic hearts.

🎼 10. Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (1925–2005)
An avant-garde icon who helped introduce electronic music to Iceland. Magnús loved to experiment—and the results are both striking and strange in the best way.

So while you’re exploring Viking re-enactments and sipping coffee lakeside in Gimli, consider popping in your earbuds and experiencing Iceland’s rich musical heritage. Because Iceland doesn’t just erupt in volcanoes—it erupts in sound, too.

Skál og gleðilega Íslendingahátíð!

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