The Organist

Björn Steinar Sólbergsson, organist and music-director of Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík was born in Akranes, western Iceland in 1961. In 1981 he completed his studies at the National Church School of Music, majoring the organ, before studying for a year in
Rome with James E. Goëttsche. Björn Steinar then moved to France where he studied
with Susan Landale at the Conservatoire National de Musique de Rueil Malmaison and
received the Prix de Virtuosité in summer of 1986.
The same year he was appointeded organist in Akureyri Church, north Iceland, where he
became very active in the musiclife of Akureyri.

In atumn 2006 he was appointed organist in Hallgrímschurch in Reykjavík. He also teaches the organ at the National Church School of Music in Reykjavík and at the Iceland University of the Arts.
Björn Steinar plays organ-music from all periods as well as Icelandic organ- music and
arrangements of Scandinavican folk-songs and dances.
His recordings of organ and choirmusic have been released on several CD´s and
broadcasted on Icelandic State Radio and TV.
He received the DV- Cultural-prize for the year 1999, Icelandic Optimism-prize in 2001
and he is The Akureyri Artist of the year 2002. Artist honorar salary in 1999 and 2015.
Björn Steinar has given concerts all over Europe, in USA, Canada and all Scandinavian
countries and performed as a soloist with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, the
Akureyri Chamber Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony orchestra and the Cleveland Institute
of Music Orchestra.