Haflidi Hallgrimsson

Icelandic composer Haflidi Hallgrimsson (b1941).
He is one of the most important figures in the 20th Century flowering of Icelandic music. Born in the small town of Akureyri on the north coast of Iceland, he began playing the cello at age 10 and studied in Reykjavik and at the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome. He continued his studies in London with Derek Simpson at the Royal Academy of Music and was awarded the coveted Madame Suggia Prize in 1966. The following year he began compositional studies with Alan Bush and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. On leaving the academy he remained in Britain, eventually making his home in Scotland having being appointed Principal Cellist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Despite his success as a performer the urge to compose proved stronger, and in 1983 Hallgrímsson left the orchestra to devote himself to this activity full time.