Orgelsumar í Hallgrímskirkju - Ensemble Norðsól

Svafa Þórhallsdóttir, born in Reykjavik, Iceland. She is a trained music teacher from the Reykjavik Music Conservatory with advanced studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.
Svafa works as a singing teacher, freelance singer, composer, and choir conductor. She has a strong interest in children's musical development and has experimented with the presentation of classical music to children in various settings.
Svafa has been a soloist in works including Carl Nielsen's "Fynsk Forår," Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater," Handel's "Messiah," Rossini's "Petite Messe Solennelle," Dvorak's "Messe in D Major" and "Stabat Mater," Bach's "Christmas Oratorio," and Esben Nordborg Møller's "Dies Irae."
Svafa has participated in several Nordic festivals such as the Opera Festival, Opera Days in Iceland, Summartonar in the Faroe Islands, Dark Music Days in Iceland, Nuuk Nordic in Greenland, Nordic Song Festival in Sweden, and Nordic Music Days in the Faroe Islands, where she sang the lead role in her own children's opera "Waves/Bølger." In June, the opera was performed at the Klang Festival in Copenhagen. Her latest children's piece premiered at the Genklange Mini Festival in Aarhus in August and will also be performed at the Opera Days Festival in Reykjavik in October 2023.

Svafa has premiered new music by composers such as Unn Patursson (FO), Aya Yoshida (J), Esben Nordborg Møller (DK), and Leif Martinussen (DK). Svafa is a member of the Soloist Association and has received support for her musical projects from organizations such as the Nordic Culture Fund, Danish Composers' Association, Nordic Culture Point, and KODA.

Anne Kirstine Mathiesen studied organ at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under the guidance of Professor Hans Fagius and Jesper Madsen. She obtained her master's degree in 1993 and, following further studies in the soloist class, received critical acclaim for her solo debut in 1995 at the Helligåndskirken in Copenhagen.

Anne Kirstine has an extensive concert career as an organ soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician throughout Europe. She began her career as an organist at a young age, serving at Havdrup Church in the Diocese of Roskilde, later at Copenhagen Cathedral, and since 1992 at St. Nicolai Church in Køge.

She has several critically acclaimed CD recordings to her name - for more information, visit www.annekirstinemathiesen.dk.

Hanna Englund, Cellist

• 2003: Diploma in Orchestral Music, Royal Danish Academy of Music
• 2007: Master's Degree in Early Music on Baroque Cello, also from the Royal Danish Academy of Music

Early Music: With her baroque cello, Hanna has participated in festivals and competitions and is a regular part of the Øresund early music freelance scene. Over the years, she has co-founded several chamber music ensembles that perform on period instruments, including Ensemble Geist!, Haydn Delight, Trio Tosto, Christian IV's Baroque Ensemble, and Handel with Care. She frequently plays with the Copenhagen Soloists, has been an instructor at events organized by the Danish Early Music Association, and in January 2023, she was a soloist in the popular evening concert series at Helsingør Cathedral.

Theatre Music: Hanna has extensive experience as a theatre musician, primarily as a cellist and singer but also as a composer, co-arranger, and vocal coach for actors. Her employment history includes:

• The Royal Danish Theatre's Playhouse (composer and solo musician in the production "Metamorfoser" with Det Røde Rum, awarded Årets Reumert 2014 in the Best Production category).
• Helsingborg City Theatre: "Rapunzel," The Floating Theatre: "Grinet and Døden" and "Flygt," SAUM Music Theatre: "Vølvens spådom," Malmö City Theatre: "Stockholm's Bloodbath." She also has extensive experience in the musical genre, including performances at Det Ny Teater in productions like "Waitress," "Love Never Dies," "Singin' in the Rain," and many more.

Ensemble Norðsól