Dear guests!

Welcome to the 16th season of the summer organ concerts arranged by the Hallgrímskirkja Friends of the Arts Society, presenting great organists from all over the world. This summer we present a Nordic Organ Festival with the Nordic Culture Fund as a major sponsor. The organists are among the best in the Nordic countries, widely known for their playing. Their programmes include Nordic organ music.

As in previous years we offer three recitals a week. On Saturdays and Sundays the organists play the renowned Klais organ in Hallgrímskirkja. Due to repair work on the tower of Hallgrímskirkja the Thursday lunchtime concerts are held in Reykjavik Cathedral in the city centre.

The renown of the International Organ Summer in Hallgrímskirkja has grown and spread wide since it was established in 1993. The aim has always been to offer our guests the best of organ music performed by virtuoso
performers. We do hope the Nordic Organ Festival this year will add to the Organ Summer’s reputation and will be both an rewarding and joyful experience for you. Thank you for coming.

Jóhannes M. Gunnarsson,
Chair of the Hallgrímskirkja Friends of the Arts Society

Download the brochure here in pdf format (right-click and select 'Save Link/Target As...') 

Organ concerts in Hallgrímskirkja on Sundays

22. June kl 17.00: Hörður Áskelsson
29. June, kl. 17.00: Björn Steinar Sólbergsson
6. July, kl. 20.00: Bine Katrine Bryndorf
13. July, kl. 20.00: Christian Lindberg, trombone and Gunnar Idenstam, organ
20. July, kl. 20.00: Bjørn Andor Drage
27. July, kl. 20.00: Kalevi Kiviniemi
3. August, kl. 20.00: Jon Laukvik
10. August, kl. 20.00: Hans Ole Thers
17. August, kl. 20.00: Mattias Wager

Lunchtime concerts on Saturdays in Hallgrímskirkja at 12 noon

28. June, kl. 12.00: Björn Steinar Sólbergsson
5. July, kl. 12.00: Bine Katrine Bryndorf
12. July, kl. 12.00: Einar Jóhannesson, clarinet and Douglas Brotchie, organ
19. July, kl. 12.00: Bjørn Andor Drage
26. July, kl. 12.00: Kalevi Kiviniemi
2. August, kl. 12.00: Jon Laukvik
9. August, kl. 12.00: Hans Ole Thers
16. August, kl. 12.00: Mattias Wager

Lunchtime concerts on Thursdays in Reykjavík Cathedral at 12:15 PM

26. June, kl. 12.00: Hjörleifur Valsson, fiðla og Guðmundur Sigurðsson, organ
3. July, kl. 12.00: Guðrún Helga Stefánsdóttir, soprano og Friðrik Vignir Stefánsson, organ
10. July, kl. 12.00: Einar Jóhannesson, clarinet and Douglas Brotchie, organ
17. July, kl. 12.00: Sólveig Samúelsdóttir, mezzo-soprano and Lenka Mátéová, organ
24. July, kl. 12.00: Svava Þórhallsdóttir, horn and Sigrún Magna Þórsteinsdóttir, organ
31. July, kl. 12.00: Kári Þormar, organ
7. August, kl. 12.00: Anna Sigríður Helgadóttir, alt and Marteinn H. Friðriksson, organ

The Thursday lunchtime concerts are in cooperation with the Association of Icelandic Organists.

The Klais Organ in Hallgrímskirkja, inaugurated in December 1992, is a grand organ of 72 stops, commissioned from Johannes Klais of Bonn, Germany. The organ, by far the largest in Iceland, has four manuals and pedal, 5.275 pipes and mechanical tracture. It stands 15 metres high and weighs some 25 tons. It has become known for its variety in tonal colours and how well it fits the church.