The Öldutún School Choir in Hafnarfjörður will celebrate 60 years of continuous choral activity with this concert, revisiting the choir’s history through music and words.

The Öldutún School Choir is the oldest children’s choir still active in Iceland. It was founded on November 22, 1965, at half past four, by Egill Friðleifsson, a true pioneer in the country’s children’s choir movement, both as a conductor and as a teacher of other music educators and choir conductors. In 2005, the current conductor, Brynhildur Auðbjargardóttir, took up the baton.

It can be said that the choir has become quite an institution in Hafnarfjörður, as thousands of children and teenagers have participated in its activities since its founding. Many of them have gone on to pursue music professionally, including—besides the current conductor—singer, voice teacher, and choir conductor Margrét Pálmadóttir, founder Domus Vox. Other notable singers include Hanna Björk Guðjónsdóttir and her daughter Björg Birgisdóttir, Guðrún Árný Karlsdóttir, Margrét Eir Hönnudóttir, Ívar Helgason, Erla Mist Magnúsdóttir, Erla Jónatansdóttir, and Ágúst Ólafsson. Also among the alumni are guitarist and composer Hilmar Jensson, composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, as well as pianists Valgerður Andrésdóttir and Ingunn Hildur Hauksdóttir.

The choir has performed widely abroad, sung on television and radio, and recorded numerous albums. It has also collaborated with musicians from across the spectrum of Iceland’s music scene and has performed several times with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

The anniversary concert program features current members’ favorite songs alongside choral music from different periods of the choir’s history. A brand-new choral piece by Finnur Karlsson will premiere at the concert Joining the school’s choirs on stage will be singers and instrumentalists who all share the bond of having once been members, including choirs made up of former singers.

Accompanist on the piano: Agnar Már Magnússon

Conductor: Brynhildur Auðbjargardóttir

Estimated duration: 1 hour without intermission