Curriculum Vitae

Gudmundur Emilsson (1951) has for three decades worked with orchestral and choral forces throughout the world. His most prominent work in the 1970s was with the orchestras and choruses of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York, the Reykjavik College of Music, Iceland, and Indiana University, School of Music, in Bloomington. His principal work during the 1980s was with the Icelandic Chamber Orchestra, the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonic Chorus of Reykjavik, all of which he conducted in performances of contemporary and classical repertoire in concerts and in recordings for both radio and television. His conductorial activities since 1990 have been with orchestras and choruses on four continents. His most extensive work of late has been with the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra of Riga, Latvia, and the choral forces there, including the Riga Dome Boys Choir, The Latvian State Radio Choir and The Latvian State Philharmonic Choir all of which he has conducted in world premier recordings of classical and contemporary music.

Emilsson received his early musical education in the Reykjavik College of Music and graduated with high distinction in 1971. He continued his studies in the United States, receiving a Bachelor's degree with high distinction in 1975 and in 1981 a Master's degree from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, New York. In 1983, he completed both his doctoral concerts and course work towards a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in orchestral conducting at Indiana University. Emilsson's DMA dissertation, written on his return to Iceland, deals with Krzysztof Penderecki's Auschwitz Oratorio / Dies Irae, receiving his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1994. In 1982 Emilsson founded the Icelandic Chamber Orchestra, a group which specialized in twentieth century music, particularly the works of Nordic composers. The orchestra premiered numerous works under Emilsson's direction and toured at home and abroad. Since 1982 Emilsson has conducted opera performances at the National Theater of Iceland and central Europe. In 1997 Emilsson conducted the first contemporary Western opera ever premiered in Beijing, China, i. e. the world premier of the Moonlight Island by Nordic-prize winning composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson.

Emilsson's principal conducting mentors are: The American Maestra Dr. Margareth Hillis, Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Advisor to the President of the United States of America, the British conductor Bryan Balkwill, Conductor at the Royal Covent Garden Opera House in London, the German conductor Dr. Robert Abraham, Orchestral Conductor in Berlin and Reykjavik, the American choir director Robert DeCormier, Director of the New York Choral Society, and the German conductor Thomas Baldner, Senior Conductor of Orchestral and Operatic Forces at Indiana University in Bloomington and Head of the Orchestral Conducting Department there.

Emilsson administrative activities are extensive: From 1981 to 1991 he served as the Director of the Icelandic Chamber Orchestra. In 1989 he was appointed Head of Music at RUV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. In this capacity, he was for eight years responsible for all studio and concert recordings, of both foreign and native artists, as well as live, international concert broadcasts and recordings of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras, ensembles and choruses. From 1999-2001 Emilsson served Cultural Director of the Grindavík-Blue Lagoon area, Iceland's renowned tourist region. Emilsson has since 1996 on many occasions acted as Private Advisor to His Excellency Dr. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland, and conducted presidential concerts in both Latvia, Poland and the United States.