Halldór Smárason

Curriculum Vitae
Halldór Smárason
Date of birth: 3rd of March 1989
Address:
Miðtún 33
400 Ísafjörður
Iceland
Email:
Website:
Phone numbers:
| 359 West 122nd Street
| New York, NY 10027
| USA
halldorsmarason@gmail.com
www.halldorsmarason.com
+354 847-8417
+1 (917) 690-3622
Education:
2012-2014
2009-2012
2005-2009
1996-2009
Manhattan School of Music. Graduated with M.M.-degree in classical composition, after
studying primarily with Dr. Reiko Füting.
Iceland Academy of the Arts. Graduated with B.A.-degree in classical composition, after
studying primarily with Tryggvi M. Baldvinsson and Atli Ingólfsson.
Ísafjörður College. Graduated with a college degree in natural science.
Ísafjörður Music School. Graduated with an Advanced Level Piano Examination, after
studying primarily with Sigríður Ragnarsdóttir.
Professional Activities:
2014
2013
Arrangements and accompaniment with the Icelandic male singing quartet
Sætabrauðsdrengirnir.
Selected to participate at the Ung Nordisk Musik Festival held in Malmö, Sweden.
_a_at_na for chamber ensemble selected as one of four pieces (out of a pool of 48 pieces)
to be played by the Oslo Sinfonietta at a concert in Oslo August 18th 2014.
Selected from a pool of applicants to develop a new work the fall 2014 for Psappha
Ensemble (Manchester, UK), with support and mentoring from ensemble members. To
be premiered at The International Anthony Burghess Foundation, Manchester, UK,
January 7th 2015.
Wrote an arrangement for the Reykjavík Queer Choir.
Gave a presentation on Stara for string quartet and electronics at Columbia University
Music Department, December 5th 2013.
Revised and partially re-arranged Hurricane Transcriptions by Lee Ranaldo (originally
arranged by Ellis Ludwig-Leone), for a performance in Sydney, Australia, in January
2014.
Wrote arrangements on five Christmas songs for women’s choir, organ and string quartet,
for Domus Vox. Premiere at Hallgrímskirkja Church, Reykjavík, Iceland, December
11th 2013.
Selected to participate at the Ung Nordisk Musik Festival held in Oslo, Norway. Master
class with Henrik Hellstenius (Norwegian Academy of Music), where he discussed and
gave comments on the piece Stara for string quartet and electronics, August 23rd 2013.
Coordinator of the electro-acoustic concert Upp rís úr rafinu held at Kaldalón, Harpa
Concert Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland, July 12th 2013.
The summer 2013, Nefna for electronics was a part of the “Galdrastafir” app, representing
Vatnsfjörður, a nature reserve in northwestern part of Iceland. The app allows tourists to
use their cell phones to scan QR codes at specific locations around the West Fjords,
which unlocks different pieces of art related to the area.
Master class with Daniel Lippel (International Contemporary Ensemble), where he
performed and gave comments on Skúlptúr 1 for guitar, April 24th 2013.
Master class with Dr. Lewis Nielson (Oberlin College), where he discussed and gave
comments on the piece 6 for harp, percussion and electronics, April 18th 2013.
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2012
2011
2010-2012
2008-2009
2008
2007
Master class with Dr. Louis Karchin (New York University), where he discussed and
gave comments on the piece Stara for string quartet and electronics, December 6th 2012.
Music directed and played with a jazz trio five evenings in a row with a new songwriter
each night, as a part of the Songwriters series event at the Við Djúpið Music Festival in
Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Commissioned from a group of applicants to compose an oboe quartet for the Við Djúpið
Music Festival. The 25th of June the Ensemble ACJW premiered the work Grunnavík in
Hamrar concert hall in Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Occasional jazz piano lessons with Eyþór Gunnarsson.
Big band workshop in Ísafjörður, Iceland, directed by the trumpet player Iris Kramer.
Við Djúpið Music Festival in Ísafjörður, Iceland. A workshop in piano improvisation,
taught by the pianist Agnar Már Magnússon.
Held a workshop for advanced piano students in Ísafjörður Music School in improvisation
and playing by ear.
Við Djúpið Music Festival in Ísafjörður, Iceland. A workshop in piano improvisation,
taught by the pianist Davíð Þór Jónsson.
List of Works:
2015
2014
2013
Ef for mezzo-soprano, baritone and piano, 3'. Written for and premiered by Guðfinnur
Sveinsson and Kristín Sveinsdóttir at Hannesarholt, Reykjavík, Iceland, February 22nd
2015.
1972 - II. Game 13 for amplified chamber ensemble, electronics, chess set and video, 7'.
Written for and premiered by TAK Ensemble at The Invisible Dog Art Center,
Brooklyn, NY, USA, February 17th 2015.
Jólanótt for male singing quartet, 4'. Poem by Ólína Þorvarðardóttir. Written for and
premiered by Sætabrauðsdrengirnir at Berg Culture House, Dalvík, Iceland, December
7th 2014.
it means what you think it means for piano trio, 7'. Written for and to be premiered by
Psappha at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, UK, January 7th
2015. Commissioned by Curated Place with support from Nordic Culture Point and Arts
Council England.
Harðorðað for viola d’amore and electronics, 5’. Written for and premiere by Marco Fusi
at the Sonic Festival 3.0 – Ritualistic Soundscapes, Literaturhaus, Copenhagen,
Denmark, September 10th 2014.
Pólypsar for viola and electronics. Premiere by Þóra Margrét Sveinsdóttir at Upp rís úr
rafinu II, Mengi, Reykjavík, Iceland, August 2nd 2014.
_a_at_na for chamber ensemble, projector and electronics, 6’. Written for the Podium
Festival Iceland. Premiere at Norræna húsið, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 5th 2014.
1972 - I. Fyrir for percussion, electronics and chess, >2’. Written for and premiere by
Ellery Trafford at the Bossi-Comelli Studio, Manhattan School of Music, New York,
NY, USA, April 18th 2014.
Rúlletta for baritone, bass clarinet, trombone and trumpet, >2’. Written for and premiere
by loadbang at Greenfield Hall, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY, USA,
April 3rd 2014.
Ástæða for chamber ensemble, 10’’. Part of a collaborative collection of short pieces,
Vines, by 9 students of Dr. Reiko Füting and himself. Written for the Contemporary
Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music. Read at a CPP Reading, Ades
Performance Space, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY, USA, January 21st
2014.
átt for orchestra, 2013, 6’. Written for and premiere by the Manhattan School of Music
Symphony at Borden Auditorium Hall, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY,
USA, January 31st 2014.
Pólypsar for violin and electronics, 2013, 5'. Premiere by Una Sveinbjarnardóttir at Errata
Collective’s opening concert, Björtuloft, Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland, July
18th 2014.
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2012
2011
2010
Hine Ma Tov for guitar, 2013, 2'. An arrangement of a traditional Hebrew melody.
Written for and premiere by Daniel Lippel at Fríkirkjan Church, Reykjavík, Iceland,
June 30th 2013. Additional performances at The Good Shepherd Church Rectory,
Brooklyn, NY, USA, November 3rd 2013, and Bessunger Kirche, Darmstadt, Germany,
November 27th 2013.
Fjögur horn for many instruments in a small space, 2013, 60'. Written in collaboration
with Kristinn Gauti Einarsson and Valdimar Olgeirsson, musicians, and Gunnar
Jónsson, visual artist. Premiere by 22 diverse musicians in Slunkaríki, Ísafjörður,
Iceland at the Við Djúpið Music Festival, June 20th 2013.
Skúlptúr 1 for guitar and electronics, 2013, 4’. Premiere by Gunnlaugur Björnsson at
Kaldalón, Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland, July 12th 2013.
Music for the short film Bella for violin, violoncello, accordion, guitar and sampled
instruments, 10’. Played by myself, accordion, guitar and sampled instruments,
Benjamin Sutin, violin, and Vivian Chang, violoncello. Collaboration with Olga Goister
(writer and director, Columbia University).
6 for harp, percussion and electronics, 2013, 18’. Written for and premiere by Duo
Harpverk at the Millenium Stage, The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts,
Washington D.C., USA, March 5th 2013.
Nefna for electronics, 2012, 6’. Premiere in Miller Recital Hall, Manhattan School of
Music, New York, NY, USA, December 5th 2012.
Stara for string quartet and electronics, 2012, 11’. Premiere by Holly Jenkins and
Benjamin Sutin, violin, Nicholas Pauly, viola, Vivian Chang, cello, Robert Karpay,
electronics, in the Greenfield Concert Hall, Manhattan School of Music, New York,
NY, USA, November 19th 2012. Additional performances by Ensemble neoN at
Riksscenen, Oslo, Norway, August 22nd 2013, and by Charlotte Munn-Wood and Jenny
Yum, violin, Olivia Chew, viola, Maria Hadge, cello, Robert Karpay, electronics, in the
Greenfield Concert Hall, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY, USA, November
25th 2012.
Un dur for mezzo-soprano and piano, 2012, 3’. Poem by Steinn Steinarr (Ástin og
dauðinn). Written for and premiere by Karen Nadia Pálsdóttir, mezzo-soprano, and
Selma Guðmundsdóttir, piano. Premiere in Sigurjón Ólafson Musem, Reykjavík,
Iceland, May 15th 2012.
Börn að leik for children’s choir and piano, 2012, 3’. Poem by Steinn Steinarr. Written
for Álfheiður Björgvinsdóttir. Premiere by Kársnesskóli’s 6th Grade Children Choir, in
Salurinn, Kópavogur, Iceland, May 5th 2012. Conducted by Álfheiður Björgvinsdóttir.
Fuscus for orchestra, 2012, 15’. Commission and premiere by The Iceland Youth
Symphony Orchestra, Ungfónía, in Neskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland, March 29th 2012.
Conducted by Gunnsteinn Ólafsson.
Vegfarendur for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and video, 2011, 12’. Written for and
premiere by Elektra Ensemble at Dark Music Days Festival at Kaldalón, Harpa Concert
Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland, January 28th 2012. Conducted by myself.
Ævi for chamber choir, 2011, 6’. Unpremiered.
Grunnavík for oboe quartet, 2011, 12’. Commission and premiere by the Ensemble
ACJW. Premiere in Hamrar Concert Hall, Ísafjörður, Iceland, at Við Djúpið Music
Festival, June 25th 2011.
Sofðu for orchestra, 2011, 5’. Unpremiered.
Dvöl for saxophone, guitar, horn, piano, cello and percussion, 2011, 11’. Premiere by
Smári Alfreðsson, saxophone, Jón Gunnar Margeirsson Biering, guitar, Guðmundur
Andri Ólafsson, horn, Glódís Margrét Guðmundsdóttir, piano, Sigríður Kristjana
Ingimarsdóttir Waage, cello, Þórður Þorsteinsson, percussion, in Iðnó, Reykjavík,
Iceland May 22nd 2012.
Music for the short film Skjáskot for piano, violin, viola, cello, contrabass and sampled
instruments, 2011, 15’. Played by myself, piano and sampled instruments, Úlfhildur
Þorsteinsdóttir, violin and viola, Þórður Þorsteinsson, cello, Bára Gísladóttir,
contrabass. Collaboration with Björgvin Ottósson (director, The Icelandic Film School).
Haust í Þjórsárdal for tenor and mezzo-soprano, upright piano and string orchestra, 2011,
6’. Poem by Steinn Steinarr. Premiere by Karen Nadia Pálsdóttir, mezzo-soprano,
Þorkell Helgi Sigfússon, tenor, Halldór Smárason, piano, Halldór Sveinsson, Ísak
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2009
Ríkharðsson, Úlfhildur Þorsteinsdóttir and Þuríður Helga Ingvarsdóttir, violin, Sandra
Rún Jóhannesdóttir and Vala Gestsdóttir, viola, Ragnar Jónsson and Þórður
Þorsteinsson, cello, Valdimar Olgeirsson, contrabass, in Sölvhóll Concert Hall, The
Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavík, Iceland, January 22nd 2011.
Hey! for Balkan band. Premiered by Orphic Oxtra on their debut album Orphic Oxtra.
Eflaust for piano trio, 2010, 8’. Commission and premiere by Reykjavík’s Trio. Premiere
in Hafnarborg, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, March 6th 2011.
Music and soundscape for the monodrama Gardinernurnar for electric guitar, sampled
instruments and electronics, 2010, 10’. Played by myself. Written and premiere by Sara
Margrét Nordahl, in Smiðjan, The Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavík, Iceland,
October 2010.
‫( ﻭوﻝلﺩد‬Walad) for clarinet, cello, contrabass and brass quintet, 2010, 8’. Premiere by
Matthías Ingiberg Sigurðsson, clarinet, Karl Jóhann Bjarnason, cello, Gunnar
Gunnsteinsson, contrabass, Valdís Þorkelsdóttir and Petter Ekman, trumpet, Bergrún
Snæbjörnsdóttir, horn, Harpa Jóhannsdóttir, trombone, and Gunnar Karel Másson, tuba,
in Sölvhóll Concert Hall, The Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavík, Iceland, May
28th 2010. Conducted by myself.
Sumarhrollur for flute and violoncello, 2009, 4’. Premiere by María Ösp Ómarsdóttir,
flute, and Karl Jóhann Bjarnason, cello, in Sölvhóll Concert Hall, The Iceland Academy
of the Arts, Reykjavík, Iceland, January 17th 2010.
Til Siggu for piano, 2009, 6’. Written for Sigríður Ragnarsdóttir. Premiere by myself in
Hamrar Concert Hall, Ísafjörður, Iceland, October 31st 2009.
Prizes:
2014
2013
2012
2010
2009
2002
Received a grant from the National Bank of Iceland’s Trust fund for doctorate studies in
classical composition.
Received a fellowship from the Thor Thors Memorial Fund (American Scandinavian
Foundation) for graduate studies in classical composition at the Manhattan School of
Music.
Received a grant from the Valitor Trust fund for graduate studies in classical composition
at the Manhattan School of Music.
Stara selected as the winning submission for the Manhattan Prize, Manhattan School of
Music’s string quartet composition competition.
Received a Fulbright Grant-In-Aid for upcoming graduate studies in classical
composition at the Manhattan School of Music.
Won a composition competition held by Reykjavík's Trio with the Eflaust piano trio,
which was premiered the 6th of March 2011 in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
Received the main prize of Ísafjörður Music Association at the Ísafjörður Music School
end of term in Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Graduated from Ísafjörður College, Iceland, as a dux scholae, or with the highest grade
among those who graduated.
Runner-up in the Icelandic College's Singing Competition held in Akureyri, Iceland,
which was broadcasted live on national television.
Won The Big Narration Competition held in Hamrar in Ísafjörður, Iceland, representing
Ísafjörður Grade School.
Music Directing Experience:
2012
2008
Music directed and played with a jazz trio five evenings in a row with a new songwriter
each night, as a part of the Songwriters series event at the Við Djúpið Music Festival in
Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Music director in an ABBA tribute show in Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Music director in the Rocky Horror Picture Show musical production of Ísafjörður
College's Theatre Company.
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2007
2006
Music director and arranger in the Alice in Wonderland musical production of Ísafjörður
College's Theatre Company.
Music director and composer in the Hið ljúfa líf musical production of Ísafjörður
College's Theatre Company.
Some Performances as a Performer:
2013
2012
2011
2010-2011
2010
2009
2005-2006
2004-2011
2004-2010
2004-2007
2004
2003
Performed with Reykjavík's Girl Choir and the Cantabile women's choir at various places
on a concert tour in northern Italy.
Performed with a chamber ensemble in Satellite Ballet’s productions Warehouse Under
The Hudson and Epistasis at Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal
Justice, New York, NY.
Performed with the indie folk/pop band Of Monsters and Men on their album release
concert in Gamla bíó in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Performed with Reykjavík's Girl Choir at various places on a concert tour around
Germany, Denmark and Italy.
Performed with a jazz trio in Laugardalshöll concert hall in Reykjavík, Iceland, at the
concert series Björgvin Halldórson's Christmas Guests.
Played in Biggibix's concert tour around the West fjords, Iceland.
Held a graduation concert in Hamrar concert hall in Ísafjörður, Iceland, subsequently after
finishing an Advanced Level Piano Examination from Ísafjörður Music School.
Apollo, a band established by my friend and me in 2001 when we were 12 years old,
played at the Ein með öllu festival in Akureyri, Iceland.
Played dinner music at Ísafjörður College graduation, except the year 2009, when I
graduated myself.
Played at the People's Rock Festival, Aldrei fór ég suður, in Ísafjörður, Iceland, except
the year 2008.
Played dinner music at Christmas buffets in Hótel Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Apollo played at Galtalækur festival, Iceland.
Participated in the SAMFÉS singing contest, representing Ísafjörður Grade School.
Participated in EPTA's (European Piano Teachers Association) piano competition.
Apollo played at UMFÍ festival, a teenage sports event, in Ísafjörður, Iceland.
Performance on Albums:
2010
2009
2008
2007
Played on Orphic Oxtra's debut album, Orphic Oxtra, a Balkan band established the year
before. Genre: Balkan Pop.
Played on Jón Tryggvi Unnarson's debut album, Silkimjúk er syndin. Genre: Blues /
Country / Folk.
Played on Biggibix's debut album, Set Me On Fire. Genre: Pop rock.
Played on Þröstur Jóhannesson's album, Vorið góða. Genre: Acoustic / Blues / Country.
Played on Fjallabræður’s debut album, Bræðralag. Genre: Folk Rock.
References:
Dr. Reiko Füting, Professor of Composition and Chair of Theory Dept. at the Manhattan School of Music.
Phone: +1 (212) 749-2802, Email: rfueting@msmnyc.edu
Mr. Atli Ingólfsson, Composer and a composition teacher at The Iceland Academy of the Arts.
Phone: +354 846-7981, Email: atli.ingolfsson@simnet.is
Mrs. Sigríður Ragnarsdóttir, Director and a piano teacher at the Ísafjörður Music School, Iceland.
Phone: +354 861-1426, Email: sigridur@tonis.is
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