Siggi String Quartet

The Siggi String Quartet has emerged as a major champion of chamber music from the group's native country of Iceland. The group has become a frequent performer at several of the country's music festivals. The Siggi String Quartet consists of violinists Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and Helga Þóra Björgvinsdóttir, violist Þórunn Ósk Marínósdóttir, and cellist Sigurður Bjarki Gunnarsson. The group members are all prominent Icelandic solo players. Sveinbjarnardóttir studied at the Musikhochschle Köln and the Berlin University of the Arts after earning a bachelor's degree in Reykjavik in 1995. In addition to her role as concertmaster of the Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra and her performances of major concertos with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, she has performed on releases by Björk, Bonnie Prince Billy, Rammstein, and other non-classical artists. Björgvinsdottir, after studies in Iceland, worked at the Berlin University of the Arts with Isabelle Faust, graduating with the university's highest possible grade score. She earned a master's degree from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and has performed with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and as a member of the Isafold Chamber Orchestra, Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, and Elektra Ensemble. Marinósdóttir, principal violist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, studied with Ervin Schiffer at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels. A soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest with other groups in Iceland and beyond, Marinósdóttir is on the faculty of Reykjavík College of Music and the Iceland Academy of the Arts. Gunnarsson, after studying in Iceland, went on to the Manhattan School of Music in New York, graduating in 1998. He stayed in New York for further work with Harvey Shapiro at the Juilliard School of Music, where he earned a master's degree in 2000. Two years later, he joined the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The Siggi String Quartet came together for performances at the Ung Nordisk Musik festival (UNM) in 2012. Quickly successful, they began to hold regular concert series at the Harpa Northern Lights Hall. They have made regular appearances at Nordic Music Days and Dark Music Days in Reykjavik.The Quartet has commissioned several new works, and as of 2019, was in the process of performing a complete cycle of Beethoven's string quartets. That year, they released the album South of the Circle, featuring music by Icelandic composers Daniel Bjarnason, Sveinbjarnardóttir, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Mamiko Dis Ragnarsdóttir, and Haukur Tómasson.