PROGRAM 2026

ErkiTíð​​

Music, innovation, and technology come together -  at Icelandic music festival.

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ErkiTíð 2026 will be held in Reykjavík from October 9–11, 2026. One of the festival’s main themes this year will be Modernism in Iceland during the last century. In collaboration with ErkiTíð, the Reykjavík Academy will host an international conference on Modernism in Iceland, examining and discussing Icelandic music from this period (1950–1980).

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During this era, a revolution took place in Western musical life, as old values gave rise to new ones and helped shape new artistic standards for the future.

Among the pioneers were Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, The Beatles, John Cage, and in Iceland Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Jóhann G. Jóhannsson, Trúbrot, and Magnús Blöndal. A diverse range of musical works from this period will be performed.

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Also worth mentioning are concerts featuring "impressionistic music", electronic music in which, among other things, newer interactive technologies will be used, chamber music concerts, and special tribute and memorial concerts featuring choral works by Jón Ásgeirsson, performed by many of Iceland’s leading choirs.

In addition, the cantata “Á jörð ertu kominn” (“You Have Come to Earth”), composed by Gunnar Reynir Sveinsson in 1972 to a text by Birgir Sigurðsson, will receive its premiere performance.

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The festival has  issued a call for new musical compositions, including works inspired by the period of Icelandic Modernism and the ideas and philosophy associated with it.

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ErkiTíð is a platform for creativity and expression in music using new technology, offering a glimpse into the future with strong roots in the works of the pioneers of Icelandic  music.

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Since its beginning, ErkiTíð has emphasized Icelandic music and innovation in that field. The first festival was held in 1994 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Icelandic Republic, featuring a performance of all major electronic and computer compositions by Icelandic composers up to that point.

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Over the years, dozens of new Icelandic works have been commissioned and premiered through ErkiTíð.

This year’s festival will highlight real-time music creation using new methods and instruments, offering unexpected and spontaneous musical experiences through live performance.

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ErkiTíð is open to everyone regardless of gender, age, or background. One of its core aims has always been to connect the past, present, and future. Innovation in music is a key element of ErkiTíð, where the boundaries between art forms are often blurred, creating a more diverse cultural landscape.

Through its diversity, ErkiTíð enriches Iceland’s cultural life and society, contributing to a more vibrant and colorful cultural scene.

Kjartan Ólafsson, Artistic Director