Björn Steinar Sólbergsson organist at Hallgrímskirkja plays Christmas Music on the church’s magnificent Klais organ. Admittance: 2. 500 ISK. Ticket sale in Hallgrimskirkja open 9am – 5 pm and at the entrance.

Programm:

Claude Balbastre 1724–1799  
Deuxième suite de Noëls
IVme Noël Bourguignon – Au jô deu de pubelle (fanfare)
Vme Noël Bourguignon – Grand déi, ribon ribeine
 
Johann Sebastian Bach 1685–1750
Pastorale BWV 590
 
Charles Marie Widor 1845–1937
Symphonie Gothique  
II Andante sostenuto
IV Final
Moderato-Allegro-Moderato-Andante-Allegro
 
Alexandre Guilmant 1837-1911
Cantilène Pastorale op. 19
 
Naji Hakim *1955
Fantasia on „Adeste fideles“  

Björn Steinar Sólbergsson, organist of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík was born in Akranes, western Iceland in 1961. In 1981 he completed his studies at the National Church School of Music, majoring the organ, before studying for a year in Rome with James E. Goëttsche. Björn Steinar then moved to France where he studied with Susan Landale at the Conservatoire National de Musique de Rueil Malmaison and received the Prix de Virtuosité in summer of 1986.
The same year he was appointeded organist in Akureyri Church, north Iceland, where he became very active in the musiclife of Akureyri.
In atumn 2006 he was appointed organist in Hallgrímschurch in Reykjavík.

He is also headmaster of the National Church School of Music in Reykjavík. Björn Steinar plays organ-music from all periods as well as Icelandic organ- music and arrangements of Scandinavican folk-songs and dances. His recordings of organ and choirmusic have been released on several CD´s and broadcasted on Icelandic State Radio and TV.

He received the DV- Cultural-prize for the year 1999, Icelandic Optimism-prize in 2001 and he is The Akureyri Artist of the year 2002. Björn Steinar has given concerts in USA, Canada, England, Italy, France, Germany, Latvia, Hungary and all Scandinavian countries and performed as a soloist with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, the Akureyri Chamber Orchestra and the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra.