Helgi R. Ingvarsson is a composer based in Brighton, England and Reykjavik Iceland. His music is regularly premiered and performed in the Nordic countries and Great Britain and among his works are i.a. a whole host of choral works, art songs, instrumental works for chamber groups and seven operas. Opera Magazine described Ingvarsson’s opera Music and the Brain as being “immediately coherent and engaging“ (2022), and his music for strings was described by Icelandic critic Jónas Sen to have “a strong personal style” which “echoes the past” (2016) and critic Silja Athalsteinsdottir said Ingvarsson’s music is “full of emotion and mesmerising” (2022). 

Recordings of his works are available on all major streaming services as well as on his website: https://helgiingvarsson.com/works#/streaming. 

Ingvarsson holds a doctorate degree in music composition (DMus) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, generously supported by the Guildhall School Trust.

Helgi R. Ingvarsson is a versatile composer, conductor, singer and lecturer based in Brighton, England, UK. His music is regularly premiered and performed in the Nordic countries and Great Britain. Helgi has, amongst other works, written 6 operas to date, and is currently working on his 7th one. His operas have been performed internationally approximately 30 times, with his 5th opera, Music and the Brain (2021), having received 16 performances to date in Iceland, Sweden and England. Opera magazine described Ingvarsson’s music as being “immediately engaging” (2022). Other notable works by Ingvarsson include his numerous vocal works, works for solo flute and piano premiered by Helen Whitaker and Katherine Tinker (2023), the playful “Random notes I found in the street” (2021) commissioned by Personal Clutter (UK), his instrumental quintet "ELEKTRA" (2019) commissioned by Elektra Ensemble (ICE), the art song "Vetrarþoka / Winter Fog" (2016) commissioned by soprano Rannveig Káradóttir (GER), and "Loftkastali / Castle in Air" (2013) for solo cello which has been performed by fantastic cellists like Guthny Jonasdottir of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ICE), Clare O'Connell of the Chroma Ensemble (UK), and Martin Johnson section leader at RTE National Symphony Orchestra (IRE). Ingvarsson’s original music for strings was described by Icelandic critic Jonas Sen to have “a strong personal style” which “echoes the past” but with a completely unique inspiration. More: https://helgiingvarsson.com/works

Other groups that have performed Ingvarsson’s music include the Chroma Ensemble (UK), Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra (ICE), The Composers’ Ensemble (UK), Concorde Ensemble (IRE), Jökla Ensemble (ICE) and Kordia Chamber Choir (ICE).

Ingvarsson holds a doctorate degree in music composition (DMus) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London (2018). His time there was generously supported by the Guildhall School Trust. His research is titled "Opening Opera: Developing a framework that allows for the interactive creative processes of improvised theatre in the productions of new music-dramas." More on his website: https://helgiingvarsson.com/researchoverview

Entertainment-focus.com described Helgi’s '4.1 Earths', which was premiered by ALDAorchestra (UK) in Brighton in 2016, as being “assembled with a powerful crescendo. I particularly loved the string sections and the double bass and the piano seemed to play off one another cleverly. [...] The concluding piece, Vetrarthoka [also by Helgi], […] was illuminating, delicate and beautiful.” 5against4.com had this to say about Helgi's piece Vefur / Loom, written for the Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra: “The final day of Iceland’s 2019 Dark Music Days festival was characterised by a back-and-forth between prosaic and profound. […] Helgi R. Ingvarsson’s new work Loom [...] made a striking impression [...] The orchestra [...] struck an interesting balance between sounding individual and acting as a group.”

Helgi has been awarded and supported in the past by e.g. The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Guildhall’s Doctoral Candidate Development Fund, The Artists’ Salaries in Iceland, Tónskáldasjóður RÚV (the Icelandic national broadcaster's composer's fund), Arts Council England, Rannís research fund Iceland, STEF (copyright management society of Iceland), and Kópavogur Arts Council in Iceland.

Recordings and further information is available on Ingvarsson's website (http://helgiingvarsson.com/), Bandcamp and on all major streaming services (search for 'Helgi R. Ingvarsson').

As a conductor and music director I have over two decades’ experience working with numerous small to large sized choirs, ensembles and orchestras, amateurs and professionals, in both England and Iceland. I have led countless workshops, rehearsals and concerts of historical, traditional, and new music, always aiming for the highest of standards. Furthermore, during my Masters studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London in 2011-2012, I studied orchestral conducting with Sian Edwards, and choral conducting at the Iceland University of the Arts in 2006-2009.

I am passionate about working with vocalists of all levels, assisting them in learning, shaping, experiencing and delivering great music.

Some of my previous posts include tutoring and conducting the Demetz Academy Choir Reykjavik, the Reykjavík Boys’ Choir, and the Icelandic Choir of London, along with recently having developed a connection to the Sussex Voiceworks (based in Shoreham-by-Sea) where I am a regular visiting conductor. Please note however that the previous list is not exhaustive, as I have put together and conducted numerous one-time groups for various concerts, events and festivals including for the Rye Arts Festival, the Tete a Tete opera festival London, the Nordic Song Festival Sweden, the Reykjavik Opera Days Iceland and for the productions of my own original chamber operas Music and the Brain and Évariste at the Courtauld Gallery in London, to name a few examples. I enjoy working with all genres of music, but among the bigger works I have directed are Vaughan William‘s Serenade to Music, Mozart‘s Coronation Mass, Gabriel Fauré‘s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah.

I am a trained singer (bass-baritone) and an experienced vocal coach with an extensive network of professional musicians in the UK and abroad. For the past decade I have freelanced with numerous sacred and secular choirs and vocal groups in Brighton, London and Iceland, one being Pier to Pier, as ensemble conductor and singer, as part of the 2021 Brighton festival.

In 2021 I then formed the Brighton based West Pier Voices, a 4 piece a cappella group, with other professional singers living in East Sussex and together we have performed on various occasions in the area. Additionally, in 2016, I, along with flautist Helen Whitaker, formed ALDAorchestra and with them I have organised, curated and conducted three ambitious concerts series for instrumental ensemble at the Old Market Hove, Wilton’s Music Hall London, Møn Denmark, and Harpa Concert Hall Reykjavik Iceland.

More here: https://helgiingvarsson.com/conductor

Dr. Helgi R. Ingvarsson is a versatile composer, conductor, singer and lecturer based in England and Iceland. He develops and delivers lectures and modules on e.g. composition, creative collaboration, song and opera in higher education institutions in Iceland and the United Kingdom. Current and past institutions include Iceland University of the Arts, S. Demetz’ Academy of Singing, University of Sussex Brighton, Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, King's College London, and DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama Dublin.

As a freelance university lecturer Ingvarsson’s role includes one-to-one composition tutoring, thesis supervision, and running short courses around the theme of creative collaboration, composition and music performance.

Responsibilities at conservatoires have included directing choirs and developing a Youth Opera Department. Ingvarsson worked closely with senior management to select repertoire and build a pathway for students in the early stages of their operatic careers.

Additionally, Ingvarsson regularly tutors vocalists of all levels, in both one-to-one and group settings. Since 2006 he has worked consecutively as a vocal coach of several choirs in England and Iceland.

Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson er sjálfstætt starfandi tónskáld með aðsetur á Íslandi og Englandi. Tónverk hans eru reglulega flutt á Norðurlöndunum og Bretlandseyjum og meðal verkanna eru m.a. fjöldinn allur af kórverkum, sönglögum, hljóðfæraverkum fyrir kammerhópa og sjö óperur. T.a.m. hafa óperur hans verið fluttar yfir þrjátíu sinnum á Íslandi, Svíþjóð og Englandi. Óperurnar „Music and the Brain“ og „Þögnin“ hafa báðar hlotið tilnefningu til Grímunnar og Opera Magazine (UK) sagði að tónlist Helga væri „aðlaðandi frá fyrstu mínútu“ (2022). „Ég hvet tónlistarunnendur til að missa ekki af þessu“ skrifaði Jón Viðar Jónsson gagnrýnandi um Þögnina og Silja Aðalsteinsdóttir (Mál og Menning) skrifaði: „Tónlistin er mjög fjölbreytt og hæfir efninu vel, er tilfinningarík og seiðandi, og spannar allan tilfinningaskalann.” (2022) 5against4.com sagði að verk hans „Vefur“, flutt af Kammersveit Reykjavíkur á Myrkum Músíkdögum 2020 hafi verið „sláandi áhrifaríkt.“

Af verkum hans á streymisveitum má m.a. minnast á „I only write alto flute parts when I miss you“ og „Rhythmic Robins / Taktfastir Svartþrestir“ fyrir flautu og píanó (2023), kórverkin „Nú er á himni og jörð“ og „Heim himnaveginn“ flutt af Kordíu, kór Háteigskirkju og gefið út á plötu þeirra „Himindaggir“ 2023, kvintettinn „ELEKTRA“ á hljómplötu Elektra Ensemble (2019), og sönglagið „Vetrarþoka“ á plötu Rannveigar Káradóttur sópran „Krot“ frá 2016. Hljómplatan „Castle in air/Loftkastali“ með tónlist fyrir strengi eftir Helga kom út 2015. Jónas Sen tónlistargagnrýnandi lýsti henni sem „ævintýraheim þar sem hver einasta tónahending hafði merkingu.“

Helgi var staðartónskáld Nordic Song Festival 2022 sem fer fram árlega í Svíþjóð. Vorið 2024 var Helgi valinn sem eitt tónskálda Music Patron UK í Bretlandi úr fjölda umsækjenda.

Helgi er með doktorsgráðu í tónsmíðum frá Guildhall School of Music and Drama í London (2018) þar sem hann var studdur af Guildhall School Trust og hlaut m.a. heiðurstitilinn „Composition fellow“.

Helgi R. Ingvarsson er sjálfstætt starfandi tónskáld, stjórnandi, söngvari og kennari. Tónverk hans eru reglulega flutt á Norðurlöndunum og Bretlandi og meðal verkanna eru m.a. fjöldinn allur af kórverkum, sönglögum, hljóðfæraverkum fyrir kammerhópa og sex óperur sem hafa verið fluttar yfir þrjátíu sinnum á Íslandi, Svíþjóð og Englandi. Óperur hans Music and the Brain og Þögnin hafa báðar hlotið tilnefningu til Grímunnar og Opera Magazine sagði að tónlist Helga væri „aðlaðandi frá fyrstu mínútu“ (2022). „Ég hvet tónlistarunnendur til að missa ekki af þessu“ skrifaði Jón Viðar Jónsson gagnrýnandi um Þögnina og Silja Aðalsteinsdóttir skrifaði í Tímarit Máls og Menningar: „Tónlistin er mjög fjölbreytt og hæfir efninu vel, er tilfinningarík og seiðandi, og spannar allan tilfinningaskalann...”. (2022) Árið 2022 var Helgi staðartónskáld Nordic Song Festival sem fer fram árlega í Trollhättan í Svíþjóð. Helgi er með doktorsgráðu í tónsmíðum frá Guildhall School of Music and Drama í London.

Upptökur af verkum Helga má finna á heimasíðu hans sem og á flestum streymisveitum. Þar má m.a. minnast á „I only write alto flute parts when I miss you“ og „Rhythmic Robins / Taktfastir Svartþrestir“ fyrir flautu og píanó flutt af Helen Whitaker og Katherine Tinker (2023), kórverkin „Nú er á himni og jörð“ og „Heim himnaveginn“ flutt af Kordíu, kór Háteigskirkju og gefið út á hljómplötu þeirra „Himindaggir“ árið 2023, kvintettinn „ELEKTRA“ sem má finna á fyrstu hljómplötu Elektra Ensemble frá 2019, og sönglagið „Vetrarþoka“ sem Rannveig Káradóttir sópransöngkona og Birna Hallgrímsdóttir píanóleikari fluttu á plötunni „Krot“ árið 2016. Árið 2015 kom út stafræna hljómplatan „Castle in air“ með tónlist fyrir strengi eftir Helga en tónlistinni á disknum var lýst af Jónasi Sen tónlistargagnrýnanda sem „ævintýraheim þar sem hver einasta tónahending hafði merkingu.“ Einnig hefur verið fjallað um tónlist Helga á vefsíðunum 5against4.com og Entertainment-focus.com. 5against4.com sagði að verk hans „Vefur“, flutt af Kammersveit Reykjavíkur á Myrkum Músíkdögum 2020, "made a striking impression [...] The orchestra [...] struck an interesting balance between sounding individual and acting as a group.” Entertainment-focus.com fjallaði um verkin „4.1 Earths“ fyrir kammersveit og sönglagið „Vetrarþoka“ fyrir sópran og píanó eftir tónleika í Brighton 2016: „Helgi’s 4.1 Earths assembled with a powerful crescendo. I particularly loved the string sections and the double bass and the piano seemed to play off one another cleverly. [...] The concluding piece, Vetrarþoka [Winter Fog, also by Helgi], […] was illuminating, delicate and beautiful.“

Helgi hefur m.a. hlotið heiðurstitilinn „Composition fellow“ við Guildhall School í London, og stuðning frá Guildhall School Trust, Listamannalaunum, Lista- og Menningarráði Kópavogsbæjar, STEF, Endurmenntunarsjóði og Menningarsjóði FÍH, Arts Council England og Michael Tippett Musical Foundation í Englandi.

Nánar: http://helgiingvarsson.com/