Compositions in progress

Working on many compositions at the same time is the normal working process for Gísli. Here to the right you can see what works he is working on at the moment, and how they are progressing. Below you can see list of performed works and information about the premier as well as the information written in the score (hence some are in Swedish and some in Icelandic).

Recordings of some of the works can be found at Gísli's SoundCloud account. The scores for some of the works can be found at the Icelandic Music Information Center (mic.is)

List of Performed Compositions

Preludium (organ)
July 2024, Akureyrarkirkja, Akureyri, Iceland

Performers: James D. Hicks

SYSTEMET - EN SATIRISK KAMMEROPERA OM VELFERDSSTATEN
SYSTEMET - a satirical chamber opera about the Scandinavian welfare system
(Mezzosoprano, tenor, baritone, piano, trombone, trompet, clarinet & percussion)
October 2023, Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland & Ringvemuseum, Trondheim, Norway

Performers: Nina Sætherhaug (mezzo-soprano), Mikkel Skorpen (tenor, Patrick Egersborg (baritone), Knut Erik Jensen (piano), Símon Karl Sigurðarson/Marthe Sofie Hansen (clarinett), Þorvaldur Halldórsson/Kjetil Birkeland (percussion), Ingibjörg Azima Guðlaugsdóttir (trombone, Iceland) and Marie Agnethe Pihl (trompet, Norway)
Librettist and director: Oda Fiskum
Scenographer and costume designer: Annika Bromberg
Music director: Knut Erik Jensen
Light design: Steinar B. Skålid
Choir in Norway: Jørn Olaf Johnsen, Åge Røe, Kari Schønberg, Elen Cath Hopen, Per-Arild Lyng, Finn Kortner, Terje Juul, Jorid Kvalvik, Marit Tinnmannsvik
Choir in Iceland: Góðir grannar, conductor Egill Gunnarsson

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More information: SYSTEMET - a satirical chamber opera about the Scandinavian welfare system with text and music by Oda Fiskum and Gísli J. Grétarsson. A production by Operakollektivet.

The system is the cornerstone of the social democratic social contract, but it doesn't quite function as it should. Users receive help, but not the help they need. They become trapped in the waiting room, where they circulate between job seeker courses, work assessments, and crystal therapy.

In the crosshairs stands the Case Worker. He futilely tries to help the users while simultaneously decoding cryptic and conflicting commands from the System; a mysterious welfare phantom without physical presence. The opera culminates as the Case Worker rebels against the System to help the growing crowd of users in the waiting room. But will his disobedience result in change?

Welcome to the waiting room. Take a number.

Systemet is supported by: Nordisk kulturråd, Nordisk ministerråd, Fritt Ord, Kulturdirektoratet, Bergsenstiftelsen, Dramatikerforbundet, Opera Trøndelag, Fond for lyd og bilde. In Iceland, it's supported by the Icelandic Music Fund.

Ljofgjörð fyrir orgel (organ)
September 2022, Grafarvogskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performers: Lára Bryndís Eggertsdóttir

Þrjú verk fyrir orgel (organ) June 2022, Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performers: Eyþór Ingi Jónsson
Recording on spotify:
1. Allegro
2. Adagio
3. Largo

Bíum, bíum, bambaló (Mixed choir)
October 2020, Metodistkirken, Grünerløkka, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Laffí vokalensemble

Greta's song (Mezzo-soprano, piano & cello)
November 2019, Hátíðarsalur Háskóla Íslands, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performers: Guja Sandholt (mezzo-soprano), Eva Þyrí Hilmarsdóttir (piano) and Catherine Maria Stankiewicz (cello)

Du må ikke sove (Soprano, dancer, percussion & piano)
August 2019, Nynorskens hus, Teatersalen, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Ida Gudim (soprano), Dag Rune Sjøli (dance), Olga Jørgensen (piano) and Martin Ulvin (percussion)
Text: Arnulf Øverland
Music: Gísli Jóhann Grétarsson
Director/Choreography: Nina Lill Svendsen
Light: Martin Ulvin/Ida Gudim
Producer: Ida Gudim
Artistic director: Nina Lill Svendsen/Ida Gudim

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More information: The poem "You must not sleep" was published as part of the collection “The Red Front” in 1937. The text, which was written to warn the general public about the advancement of Nazism and fascism in Europe, is considered one of the most famous poems in Norwegian history. What makes the poem so special is how it takes on the feeling of being wedged in between passivity and action in an extremely descriptive manner. The political climate in today's society make Øverlands message as relevant today as it was in 1937. Our goal has been to create a scenic work composed for soprano soloist and male voice, conveyed through a fusion of opera, dance and theatre. We want to challenge the traditional opera form, and bring to life a vivid expression within an interdisciplinary field.

Drottinn vakir yfir þeim (Organ, cello & mezzo-soprano)
June 2019, Garðakirkja, Garðabær, Iceland

Performers: Eyþór Ingi Jónsson (orgel), Inga Rós Ingólfsdóttir (cello) and Guja Sandholt (mezzo-soprano)

Les escaliers des rues de Paris (Flute & piano)
November 2018, Norrænahúsið, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performers: Kristján Karl Bragason (piano) and Hafdís Vigfúsdóttir (flute)

Plastóperan - ópera fyrir börn og foreldra / The Plastic Opera - opera for children and parents
(Soprano, baritone, piano, clarinet & cello)
October 2018, Safnahúsið, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performers: Björk Níelsdóttir (soprano), Jón Svavar Jósefsson (baritone), Eva Þyri Hilmarsdóttir (piano), Kristín Þóra Pétursdóttir (clarinett) and Catherine Maria Stankiewicz (cello)
Librettist and director: Árni Kristjánsson
Scenographer and costume designer: Þórdís Erla Zoëga

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More information: The opera was commissioned by the opera festival Óperudagar í Reykjavík (Reykjavík Opera Days) in 2018.

Kalos (Soprano, percussion, clarinet & cello)
October 2018, Berg, Reykjanesbær, Iceland

Performers: Kalos Quartett (Maria Finkelmeier - Anna K. Larson - Angela Shankar - Sanna Andersson)

Islandia insula est (Piano & horn)
June 2018, Her Majesty's Prison Magilligan, Northern-Irland

Performers: Trio DaNoIs - Jónína Erna Arnardóttir, Morten Fagerli & Pernille Kaarslev

Ro (Cello)
December 2017, Capella Johannea, Oslo, Norway

Performer: Catherine Maria Stankiewicz

En typ har flyttat in (Soprano & cello)
November 2017, Kulturbruket på Dal, Sweden

Performers: En vokalist & en cellist (Anna K. Larson - Sanna Andersson)

The Single And The Sponge Cake (Soprano, bass clarinet & percussion)
October 2017, The Space, Boston, USA

Performers: Trio Kalos (Maria Finkelmeier - Anna K. Larson - Angela Shankar)

Dances by The Sea (Percussion duo)
September 2017, En-plo gallery, Pafos, Cyprus

Performer: Geräush Percussion Duo (Marios Nicolaou - Alexandros Giovanos)

VOICELAND: a live choir installation (Mixed choir 17 voices)
September 2017, A! festival, Akureyri, Iceland

Director: Mareike Dobewall
Scenography: Ylva Orwen
Performers: Kammerkórinn Hymnodia

Adagio (Organ)
July 2017, Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland

Performer: Eyþór Ingi Jónsson

Buy score from Iceland Music Information Centre (mic.is)

Två hjärtan, två hjärtslag (SATB)
May 2017, Kampen kirke, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Vokalgruppen Laffí

Guð láttu englana (SATB)
May 2017, Kampen kirke, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Vokalgruppen Laffí

Buy score from Iceland Music Information Centre (mic.is)

Játning Ólafíu/Ólafías beskjennelse (SATB)
October 2016, Ólafíustofa, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Ískórinn

Buy score from Iceland Music Information Centre (mic.is)

Íslensk flautusónata / Icelandic flute sonata (Flute and piano)
July 2016, The Folk Music Festival of Siglufjordur, Iceland

Performers: Hafdís Vigfúsdóttir (flute) and Kristján Karl Bragason (piano)

Eruptio (Flutes and tape)
June 2016, Örebro Contemporary Music Festival, Örebro, Sweden

Performer: Per Svansbo (piccolo, alto- and bass-flute)

Team Player - a chamber opera (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Bass-Baritone & Piano)
April 2016, Hendrix Ibsen Junior, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Ivi Karnezi (soprano), Margrét Brynjarsdóttir (mezzo-soperano), Patrick Egersborg (bass-baritone) & Dorina Komani (piano)

Jólaljóð (mixed choir)
December 2015, Akureyrarkirkja, Akureyri, Iceland

Performers: Hymnodia chamberchoir

Buy score from Iceland Music Information Centre (mic.is)

Kveldúlfur (mixed choir, harmonium, flute, percussion and jojk-singer)
November 2015, Hjalteyri, Iceland

Performers: Hymnodia chamberchoir, Haraldskullerud (perc.), Sigurður Flosason (fl.), Eyþór Ingi Jónsson (harm.) and Ulla Pirttijärvi (jojk)

Bæn (mixed choir)
November 2015, Nordbergkirke, Oslo, Norway

Performers: Ískórinn

Schnitzler's Dreams - an installative opera (baritone, accordeon, violin and double bass)
August 2015, the Aula of Fredrikstad's Library, Fredrikstad, Norway

Concept and Direction: Mareike Dobewall ** Performers:**_ Eirik Krokfjord_ as Arthur Schnitzler (Baritone) Matias Askvik (contrabass), Moa Meinich (violin) & Anastassia Mishenkina (accordion)

Stjörnurnar (Mixed choir)
April 2015, Iceland Accapella, London, England

Performers: Ískórinn

Ár var alda (Mixed choir, harmonium, percussion, Hardangerfiddle and Lur/natural trumpet)
February 2015, Gamle Aker kirke, Akureyri

Performers: Hymnodia chamberchoir, Eyþór Ingi Jónsson (harm.), Harald Skullerud (perc.) and Steinar Strøm (hard.)

ART FROM THE START: Oändlighetens näste (Cello and soprano)
October 2014, Affordable Art Fair, Stockholm

Performers: Anna K. Larson (soprano) and Sanna Anderson (cello)

Máttarverk Guðs (organ)
June 2014, Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland

Lára Bryndís Eggertsdóttir

Buy score from Noder.dk or CD from gatewaymusicshop.dk

Kleppur hraðferð (piano, three percussionists, tape and contralto)
April 2014, Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway

A Life Blown A Part (en act opera)
Juni 2013, Norrlandsoperan, Umeå, Sweden

Mamma (piano and contralto)
Juni 2013, IsNord festivalen, Reykholtskirkja, Borgafjörður, Iceland

Composition Kokbok (sceniskt kammarmusikstycke, för sång och cello)
Februari 2013, Århus Musikhus, Århus, Denmark

Vinterstilla (string quartet)
Januari 2013, Studio Acusticum, Piteå, Sweden
Buy score from Iceland Music Information Centre (mic.is)

Snjófljóð (improvisation piece for mixed choir, violin, percussion and harmonium)
August 2012, Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland

Vem är Kári? (opera scen for chamberensemble, soprano and baritone)
Juli 2012, Operan på Skäret, Sweden

Tröppurnar (mini opera for a mixed choir and soloists)
Juni 2012, Hof, Akureyri, Iceland

Ave Maria (duett for soprano and mezzo-soprano, with organ accompaniment)
Mai 2012, NMH, Oslo, Norway

Djákninn á Myrká (tonepoem for chamberensemble)
Mai 2012, Klusterfestival, Piteå, Sweden

For-get-me-not (sceniskt kammarmusikstycke, för sång och cello)
Mai 2012, Helsinki, Finland

Árstíðirnar (song cycle for piano and contralto)
April 2012, The Icelandic Embassy, Oslo, Norway

Haf (for brass sextett, piano and three percussionists)
Mars 2012, Piteå, Sweden

5 idéer (etudes for guitar)
Mai 2011, Piteå, Sweden

Hjul på Jul (sceniskt kammarmusikstycke, för sång och cello)
December 2011, Frändefors, Sweden

Three (mini opera for three soloists and three musicians)
December 2011, Piteå, Sweden

Systir Sól og bróðir Máni (for mixed choir and mezzo-soprano)
November 2011, Akureyri, Iceland

5 Etudes (for organ)
November 2011, Piteå, Sweden

Jökull (tonepoem for chamberensemble)
December 2010, Piteå, Sweden

Dimmalimm (mini opera for three solists, dancers and chamber ensemble)
April 2010, Studio Acusticum, Piteå, Sweden

Upplifun (improvisation piece for mixed choir, violin, percussion and harmonium)
January 2010, Dark Music Days, Reykjavík, Iceland

The Seal Man (mini opera for two soloists and three musicians)
September 2009, Studio Acusticum, Piteå, Sweden

5 Country Tales (5 arrangements for solo guitar, guitar duo and guitar & clarinet)
Buy score at Score Exchange.