BIOGRAPHY>
Composer Thordur Magnusson
Thordur Magnusson is a prolific composer, arranger, orchestrator and engraver. He’s not only a respected classical composer but is also in great demand as an arranger. His mastery in arranging various styles of music is unique and his arrangements include all types of instrumental combinations.
As a classical composer, Magnusson has composed over 50 pieces which have been performed all over the world. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has commissioned and performed his compositions on numerous occasions with other performers including the Caput contemporary ensemble, Trio Nordica, Quator Bozzini, Eskar Trio and renowned Japanese pianist Izumi Tateno, who has commissioned many pieces as well. Magnusson ́s music is frequently performed in music festivals in Iceland, including Reykholt festival, Nordic Music Days, Midsummer Music and Dark music days. His music is especially colourful and dynamic, reflecting. Magnusson ́s sources of inspiration, a myriad styles of music and his country’s beautiful nature. His compositional repertoire consists of solo, orchestral, chamber and choral pieces. Magnusson has received numerous awards, nominations and scholarships, among them a nomination for the 2004 Nordic Music prize for his cantata, “Ó, Jesú eðla blómi”. He has been nominated for the Icelandic Music prize numerous times for the film soundtrack “Saga Borgarættarinnar” (en. Sons of the Soil) 2020, best CD “LA POESIE” 2014, best classical piece, “Violin Concerto” 2026, “Saxophone Quartet” 2013, “Clarinet quartet” 2011, “Piano Trio” 2003. In 2004 he won the Icelandic Music Awards prize for the best classical piece of the year for his “Symphony”.
His first musical endeavour was playing in a garage band but later he came to study classical composition, in Iceland where he mastered writing in all styles of music and later studied composition in Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris. After his studies in Paris, Magnusson kept on studying and immersed himself in jazz harmony and arranging. As an arranger, he effortlessly moves between various genres of music, ranging from jazz, classical music to heavy metal.
Magnusson works regularly with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and SinfoniaNord as an orchestrator and arranger and has acquired extensive knowledge in arranging for symphonic orchestra, both classical orientated music but also working with pop and rock artists. Whilst his command of writing in various musical styles is exceptional his personal voice can always be heard.
As an arranger, Magnusson has had countless collaborators in recent years, among them: Ásgeir Trausti, Una Torfa, Egill Ólafsson, Bubbi, Mugison, GDRN, Jói P og Króli, Jónas Sig, Dimma, Todmobile, Þorvaldur Bjarni and Stjórnin.
Not to mention Laufey which in addition to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, did a world tour with his arrangements with various orchestras, including LA Philharmonic.
As an orchestrator, Magnusson collaborators include Atli Örvarsson, Ólafur Arnalds, Karl Sölve Steven.
Magnusson has also composed film music; most ambiguous being the score for the re‐release of the 3 hours 1920 Danish/Icelandic silent film Saga Borgarættarinnar (en. Sons of the Soil).
His discography—released on labels such as Smekkleysa and Sena, Includes “LA POESIE”, with various chamber music by the composer, “Sons of the Soil”, film soundtrack and “Aðför að lögum”, in collaboration with Icelandic rock/folk artist, Megas.