Education
1986 - 1995
Degree NameMusLic (PhD) Field Of StudyMusic Composition and Theory
Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
1986 - 1991
Degree NameCandidate of Music (Cand.Mus) Field Of StudyMusic Composition
1984- 1986
Utrecht Conservatory Institude for Sonology
Field Of StudyElectronic and computer music studies
Sibelius Academy
Composer
He has composed music for chamber orchestra, solo instruments, voice,
and electronics; computer music, large scale orchestra works and concertos, music for theatre and music for children. His music has been performed in concerts in over 30 countries, e.g., in international festivals such as ISCM, ICMC, Nordic Music Days, Dark Music Days and ErkiTid. His Viola Concerto received the Icelandic Music Award in 2002 as Composition
of the Year. Many of his compositions have been released on CDs’.
Research
Kjartan is currently directing the largest international research project in music in Iceland, CALMUS. His investigative work into composition is based on the use of Artificial Intelligence for musical composition.
ErkiTíð Music Festival
Artistic director since 1994
The ErkiTíð Music Festival was founded in 1994 on the 50th anniversary of the Icelandic Republic. From the beginning, the purpose of the festival has been to link music, art, technology and science together with creating a point where past and future meet by art creation. The festival program includes various type of music where music and new technology integrates - such as with music creation using Artificial Intelligence for real-time composition, music in virtual reality and the integration of music and light (visuals) in real-
time.
Dark Music Days
Artistic director 1998 –2016
Dark Music Days is an annual festival of contemporary and new music which takes place during the darkest period of the Icelandic winter at the concert hall Harpa in downtown Reykjavík. The festival was founded in 1980 by the Iceland Composers Society as a platform for Icelandic
composers to present their work.
ErkiTónlist
CEO of ErkiTónlist since 1985
ErkiTónlist was founded in 1985 to promote creative endeavours in music, especially those that for one reason or other did not obtain commercial support.
Professor of composition and theory at the Iceland University of the Arts 2005-2014