Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Eva Ingolf

Eva Ingolf is a well known Icelandic violinist particularly recognized for her authoritative performances of solo works by J. S. Bach. She comes from a leading musical family and her father, Ingólfur Guðbrandsson, premiered many of the great choral works in Iceland and six of her sisters and brothers are professional musicians who have made an important contribution to the high quality of the musical life in the country. Eva Ingolf currently lives in New York City with her husband Kristinn Sv. Helgason, an official of the United Nations Secretariat and their daughter, Andrea Kristinsdóttir, a musician and actress. She began violin studies at a young age, gaining early recognition for outstanding musical talent, including the beautiful tone and artistic interpretation of her playing. After studying at the Conservatory of Reykjavík for 6 years, Eva left Iceland to study with some of Europe’s finest violin pedagogues. Her playing has been greatly influenced by the spirit of the Russian and East-European violin schools. At the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, she was a student of Prof. Leon-Ara, followed by studies with Prof. Corrado Romano at the Conservatory of Geneva and Prof. Istvan Parkanyi at the Sweelink Conservatory in Amsterdam During these years she won many awards, as well as scholarships to study with world renowned pedagogues such as Stephan Gheorghiu, Victor Pikaizen, Zachar Bron and Tibor Varga. Throughout her career, Eva has given numerous solo recitals in well-known concert halls in Iceland, Japan, United States, Russia and Europe, including regularly at the Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Trinity Church in New York City and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., receiving high acclaim from music critics as well as the general public. She has released two highly-regarded CDs on the Japis label. Eva has also recorded for the Icelandic State Radio. In 1995-1996, she undertook studies in composition, conducting and orchestration at Harvard University.

Concert Dates

  • February 9, 2014 - Jan Hus Church, New York City

15 one-minute selections for Eva Ingolf

Concert program

  • Heyrthi i vindi

    David Bohn

    David Bohn received degrees in composition from the University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of Illinois. He currently resides in West Allis, Wisconsin, and is the music director at St. John's Lutheran Church in West Milwaukee. He is the President of the Wisconsin Alliance for Composers.

    Have you ever thought you heard music in the wind in a lonely place?

  • The Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfjöður

    Erik Branch

    Erik Branch is a native of New York City, and received a BA and MA in Music (Composition) from Hunter College. He lives near Orlando, Florida, where he is active as a pianist, musical director, composer/arranger, opera chorister, and actor on stage and screen.

    This is inspired by Andrew Lang’s version of this Icelandic fairytale in The Crimson Fairy Book (1903), describing Prince Sigurður’s discovery of the flying horse Gullfaxi (“Golden Mane,” and the dazzling sword Gunnfjöður (“Battle-Plume”), inscribed “He who rides this horse and wears this sword will find happiness.”

  • Troll Song.

    Remigio Coco

    Pianist and composer, Remigio Coco is born in Maenza (Italy) in 1965 and lives in Latina, near Rome. He received his Piano Diploma in 1985, and graduated in Electronic Music in 2007. His works range from chamber music to electroacoustic pieces, also with live electronics.

    Nordic ancient melodies are echoing in this piece, "Troll Song." The audience is invited to close their eyes and imagine the cold lands of Iceland, with its mysterious atmospheres and legends of Trolls.

  • Land of Mystery and Trolls

    Tim Corpus

    Tim Corpus is a composer, teacher and performer based out of Chicago, Illinois. As a composer, Tim has worked with a variety of ensembles including Third Coast Percussion, Palomar Ensemble and many more. Currently, Tim teaches music at Richard J. Daley College, Loyola University Chicago.

    Beginning in the upper register, the ethereal sound reflects a cold and open landscape. With the pickup of the tempo, the Troll is introduced. Rapid scales and arpeggios descend, bringing us back to the calm mystery of a world with Trolls.

  • “A Troll In The Park” (A tale of mischief)

    Joe Gianono

    Mr. Gianono’s music can be heard on television, radio, film, theaters, and concert halls. He is currently writing incidental music for the White Horse Theater Company production of Tennessee Williams’ "I Can't Imagine Tomorrow" where he is the resident composer. Please Google: Joe Gianono for more info.

    “Trolls” live in Isolated rocks, caves and mountains, everywhere and not only in Norse mythology as commonly thought. At times, a young troll will come out and cause havoc for us humans for amusement. A troll was cited wildly driving a horse and carriage in Manhattan's Central Park.

  • Að-fá-stúlku

    Fermino Gomes

    Fermino Gomes (Patos, PB, Brasil) studied theory with Gazi Sa and João de Barro at Caipira University of Paraiba (UNICPB), Brazil. As well as an active composer, Fermino performs on the viola (Brazilian 10 string-folk guitar) regularly. Fermino currently lives in New York City.

    Að-fá-stúlku - Even in a land of mystery and trolls one can not (and should not) avoid the power of love. Að-fá-stúlku is an Icelandic stave (or hex) used to win the love of a woman. Witchcraft may influence; but in the end, true love prevails

  • Hratt

    Nathan R. Johnson

    Seattle-based composer Nathan Johnson’s music has been performed in the United States, Canada, and Russia, and is particularly inspired by the natural world, astronomy, folk music, and literature. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Mr. Johnson holds degrees in composition from California State University Long Beach and Biola University.

    Like a high-speed chase over uneven terrain, this piece has the violinist fleeing from an unseen danger, rushing and stumbling over, under, and around its strings through an asymmetrical meter and quirky harmonies.

  • Footfall and Echo

    Kevin J. Kelly

    Kevin J. Kelly is a composer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Sara, where he teaches music theory and composition at Los Angeles City College and plays guitar and sings in the chamber folk ensemble Homesick Elephant

    Moonless night and rolling mists. Heavy footsteps, drawing near. What mythical creatures stalk this endless night? And what is it they seek? Further south and we’d laugh it off, trust to reason, subdue our fear. But here old legends breathe and move, and so we stay quite still. Until the footsteps leave us here with nothing but their echo.

  • Old Icelandic Folk Song

    Daniel Mihai

    Daniel Mihai studied with the Maestro and teachers like Serban Nichifor, Stefan Gheorghiu and a lot of great teachers of Romanian School of Music (National University of Music in Bucharest)! The first teacher in my life was my father who brings my special love to music and special to my first love- violine! He has attended MBA courses in the Faculty of Performing Art, with the objective of improvement and assimilation of all knowledge related to contemporary music.I am teacher of violine in Constanta and also i play with pleasure this kind of music wherever! Also, I want to finish my final thesis in the end of this month.

    For this composition i reach one of the meaning of the old icelandic folk song in some feelings in postmoden era. I bring that idea following and watching some folk icelandic music. I use a special line for the violine in three registers, I compose with this impression who is in my perception lovely !

  • Andvari

    Alex Nante

    Alex Nante was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1992. He is a conductor and composer. He won the following composition competitions: DCMO (South Korea), Chamber Orchestra Sibelius, Cervantes Theatre, among others. He is the Co- founder of Friends of New Music Orchestra, and founder of Terra Lucida Ensemble.

    “Andvari” is a fast rondo which is inspired in the homonym dwarf of Norse mythology. It is said that Alberich, the character of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, was based in some part on him. He is the master of all the gold of the universe, and a representation of evil.

  • Nail ship

    Juan Maria Solare

    Juan Maria Solare, born 1966 in Argentina, works currently in Germany as composer, pianist (contemporary & tango) and teaching at the University of Bremen and at the Hochschule fuer Kuenste Bremen. His music has been performed in five continents. Twelve CDs of different performers include at least one piece of him. www.JuanMariaSolare.com

    Nail ship: In Norse mythology, Naglfar or Naglfari (Old Norse "nail ship") is a boat made entirely from the fingernails and toenails of the dead. My piece 'Nail ship' uses tremolo sul ponticello throughout to generate an arcane and subtle atmosphere, recalling the motionless evening light of Iceland.

  • Uppi í háa hamrinum (High up in the Sky)

    José Jesus de Azevedo Souza

    José Jesus de Azevedo Souza studied in England at the Purcell School with a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and later studied at the Trinity College of Music and the University of Sheffield. He has since composed a considerable amount of music, some of which has been performed.

    Uppi í háa hamrinum (High up in the Sky), a short and stark Icelandic folk song harmonised for Eva Ingolf so as to explore different tonal possibilities, the final chord providing a glimpse of light amidst a mysterious and evocative atmosphere.

  • Troll’s Dance

    Adam Torkelson

    Adam Torkelson majored in composition at Berklee College of Music. He is a leading authority on the Viking board game of Hnefatafl (and has produced dozens of internet videos explaining the strategy). Adam plays piano in a professional jazz quartet and lives in Houston, TX.

    The title of this piece means “Troll’s Dance” and is a lively jig written to capture the magic and fantasy of Scandinavian folklore.

  • Troll Party

    Jean-Pierre Vial

    Jean-Pierre Vial, French, born in 1946, former software designer. At an early age, he learned the piano, the organ, and composed several pieces for both instruments. Over the last two years, various soloists and small ensembles have performed his music in France, UK, Italy, Israel and in the USA.

    Troll Party is inspired by an imaginary playlet, with a bunch of dwarf trolls frolicking over the moors in the moonlight. For a while, they join another group of their peers who are dancing frantically. The playlet ends at dawn, with the dwarves jumping into the cave where they reside.

  • Frost Vapors

    Rain Worthington

    Rain Worthington‘s emotionally evocative music has been heard in varied settings, from loft concerts and dance clubs, to European orchestra recordings and chamber concerts in India. World music, minimalism and romanticism have influenced her compositional style. Her music is released on Navona Records, CDBaby, and North/South Recordings.