Ground Report

Stefan Kristinsson: Stefán Helgi Kristinsson was born on April 6, 1979 in the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. He received his first music education in Tónskóli Sigursveins D. Kristinssonar where he studied cornet and recorder, as well as receiving his first music theory education. In 1989 his life changed course when he became a church organist after his grandfather saw a small ad in the local newspaper from the Music School of the Icelandic National Church. His first organ teacher was Jakob Hallgrímsson (1943 – 1999), who was also a violin player and a good composer. Jakob introduced Stefan to the world of composing and taught him the basics of harmony and counterpoint. In 2000, Stefan began studying advanced music theory in the Music School of Reykjavik, where his main theory teachers were Guðmundur Hafsteinsson (1953 – ) and Tryggvi Baldvinsson (1965 – ), both well known Icelandic composers. In 2004, Stefan graduated from the Music School of the Icelandic National Church as a Cantor. In 2007 he got an interest in photography and have since been active landscape photographer.