Curriculum Vitae
Hallvarður Ásgeirsson is a composer working on the boarders of avant classical composition, electronic music, guitar soundscapes and poetry. He has written 2 works with choreographer Saga Sigurðardóttir, Scape of Grace and Predator, and Blýkufl. Predator is a choir piece influenced by medieval music. Scape of Grace is a study of sound and choreography for 5 dancers and 5 amplifiers and cabinets.
Hallvarður has an M.Mus degree in composition from Brooklyn College and a BA in composition/new media from Art Academy of Iceland.
Hallvarður has written the pieces Miniature#3, Miniature#9 for piano and Toccata and Scherzo for toy piano for pianist Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir.
Curriculum Vitae
Hallvarður Ásgeirsson (Icelandic, born in 1976) is a composer writing instrumental classical composition and electro acoustic music. He is also a performing electric guitarist employing interactive sound processing. Asgeirsson’s work falls into a few categories – avant modern classical composition, electro acoustic music where found sounds are mixed with ambient musical elements, and electronic guitar music where the guitar is used as as a starting point for electronic processing and sound shaping.
Hallvarður studied classical guitar from a young age and electric guitar at the Music Unions School of Music, Reykjavík. He studied electronic music at Kopavogur Music School Electronic Lab 2000-2001 and composition at the composition/new media department at the Icelandic Art Academy 2002-2006. He studied composition at Brooklyn College 2007-2009 where he finished an M.Mus degree and studied with Douglas Cohen, Tania Leon and Jason Eckhart.
Hallvardur has played in many bands such as Storsveit Nix Noltes, Líkn and The Coma Cluster. His works have been performed at International Electroacoustic Music Festival at Brooklyn College, and also his works for robotic instruments and guitar performed at LEMUR (League of Musical Urban Robots) in New York. His composition for the play MIKA was performed at the United Nations in november 2008. Hallvarður won the composition competition New composers at the festival Við Djúpið. The work Heiðskírt was rehearsed by the Nordic Wind Quintet and performed at the music hall Hamrar in Ísafjörður in june 2010.
Hallvarður has written a lot for the Halldorophone created by Halldór Úlfarsson. The work seasons in black (2003) and the work Miniature #5 (2011) which was written for piano and dorophone. The work Serial Killer (2004) was written for a string orchestra and two guitars. The work Paradox XII (2008) was written for violin when the composer was studying at Brooklyn College. It uses “extended technique” for violin.
Studies
M.Mus in composition from Brooklyn College in New York, 2009
Teaching diploma from Art Academy of Iceland, 2007
BA in composition/new media from Art Academy of Iceland, 2006
Releases
2014 ‘Portrait’ released on Paradigms Recordings. Music from a portrait concert in Skálholt performed by Hallvarður’s Ensemble.
2013. ‘Las Casas’ music by Hallvarður Ásgeirsson and Þorvarður Helgason released on Paradigms Recordings.
2009. Released the record Death & Resurrection under the name “Vardi”.
2007. The band Líkn released a record of the same name..
2006 A CD with my works, Lífsblómið, was released on Paradigms Recordings.
2003 Published a book of poetry at Nýhil entitled Spegilmynd Púpunnar.
Awards
2013 ‘Hreint Hjarta’ received 4 nominations for the Edda TV and Movie awards. Hallvardur received a nomination for music.
2012 ‘Hreint Hjarta’ by Grimur Hakonarson, music by Hallvardur Asgeirsson, was awarded the Skjaldborg award at the Skjaldborg documentary film festival.
2012 Received a grant from Tónlistarsjóður, Menningarsjóður Vesturlands and Menningarsjóður Austurlands for the concert series Portretttonleikar.
2010 Won the composition competition ‘Ný tónskáld’ at the music festival Við Djúpið in Ísafjörður.
2006 Lífsblómið Chosen among the top 10 in Best of Metal 2006 in Dusted Magazine.
Work and experience of the last years
2015
Performance of Blýkufl by Icelandic Dance Company. Featuring choreography by Saga Sigurðardóttir and music by Hallvarður Ásgeirsson. A music and choreography work for 5 dancers/voices, keyboards, computer and Vardiphone.
Currently working on music for the film Scanners by Richard Ramchurn.
2014
Performance of Scape of Grace at Myrkir Músíkdagar 2014 in Harpa, a work for electronics, 5 dancers, guitar amps and cabinets.
Performance of Predator at Reykjavík Dance Festival 2015, featuring a choir piece written for mixed choir as well an electronic soundscape written for the custom designed Vardiphone.
2013
Performance of Scape of Grace – work in progress at Myrkir Músíkdagar in Reykjavík
Performance of Scape of Grace at Reykjavík Dance Festival, a colaborative dance and music composition by Saga Sigurðardóttir and Hallvarður Ásgeirsson.
http://scapeofgrace.com
2012
Concert series ‘Portrait concert’ in Iceland. Played concerts with ensemble at Egilsstaðir, Borgarfjörður Eystra, Skálholt and Stykkishólmur. Performed several new pieces and a repertoire from the last several years. ‘Hreint Hjarta’ a documentary by Grímur Hákonarson with music by Hallvardur premiered in Patreksfjörður and in Bíó Paradís in Reykjavík.
2011
Performance of the piece Miniature #7 for contrabassoon and percussion, at Sláturtíð 2011
As a part of the Sound Fields exhibition I wrote the piece Miniature #5 for (prototype) halldorophone#7 and prepared piano. The piece was performed at a concert on april 2. 2011 at the Icelandic national gallery.
At the new years concert of SLÁTUR, 8.1.2011 the piece Miniature #4 for 8 breakdrums was performed by ensemble Fengjastrútur.
Commission by the classical ensemble Camerarctica. Wrote a piece for clarinett and string quartet, incorporating electronics.
2010
The Music Festival “Vid Djupid” in Isafjordur, Iceland: One of three “new composers” chosen to compose a piece which was performed by the Nordic Chamber Soloists Ensemble. The piece is named Heidskirt.
It was Premiered in Hamrar Music Hall, Ísafjörður, Sunday June 27th 2010.
The concert was recorded by RUV (the national radio) and broadcasted on 30th of april 2011.
Premiered the work Miniature#1 for 8 piece chamber ensemble featuring wind instruments strings and electronics on Sláturtíð 29. september 2010 at Útgerðin. Performed by Fengjastrútur.
2009
I studied at Brooklyn College from 07-09, where I finished an M.Mus degree in composition. I studied Electro Acoustic Music and Composition, with the aid of Douglas Cohen, Tania Leon and Jason Eckhart. Final concert featured guitar/electronics and video series Skyboxx. Performed by myself on electric guitar/electronics, Glenn Mohre bass and Anne Herzog: video. Performed a series of concerts in New York playing this material. I released the record Death & Resurrection under the name „Varði“.
2008
Residency at L.E.M.U.R. in Brooklyn, where I wrote music for robotic instruments, guitar and percussion. The music was performed on the 12th of december 2008 at the Lemurbot space.
I also participated in the International Electro Acoustic Festival at Brooklyn College. There were performed electro acoustic pieces there on 4 concerts. In 2008 the CD Brooklyn College Electro Acoustic Ensemble was released which featured the piece Cityscape (Nantes).
2007
Self released album Likn featuring atmospheric post-rock/industrial music of a four piece ensemble. Played a string of concerts in Reykjavik to support the release.
Participated in the theatre production Iphigenea, which was performed by Tyatro Global at the technical university in Brooklyn. I composed music .
2006
Final concert from Listaháskóli Íslands, finished BA in new media/composition performed the composition Vítisvélar for a chamber group of 20 players.
A CD of my works, Lífsblómið, released on Paradigms Recordings in the UK. Recieved positive reviews in Terrorizer magazine. Chosen among the top 10 in Best of Metal 2006 in Dusted Magazine.
2005
Studies at Listaháskóli Íslands. Composed and performed In Memoriam for electronics and Serial Killer for string octet, wind instruments and 2 guitars.
2004
Studies at Art Academy of Iceland. Composed and performed Die Blume des Lebens, part 1 and 2
2003
Performance with Halldor Arnar Ulfarsson and others at the Reykjavik Art Museum, composition Seasons in Black, written for strings, organ, guitar, piano and dorophone#1.
Released a book of poetry on the Nýhil label entitled Spegilmynd Púpunnar.
2002
Premiere of Documentary Vardi goes Europe by Grímur Hákonarson, where I starred as myself, composed music and played guitar.
2001
Finished 6th degree guitar in the rock/jazz department at the Musicians Union Music School in Reykjavík.
Studied electronic music at Tónver Tónlistarskóla Kópavogs. Premiere of the documentary Varði fer á vertíð, where I starred as myself.