Víkingur Ólafsson bio

Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has made a profound impact with his remarkable combination of highest-caliber musicianship and visionary programs. His recordings for Deutsche Grammophon—which include Philip Glass Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy Rameau, Mozart & Contemporaries, and From Afar—captured both the public and critical imagination and have led to career streams of more than 600 million.

In October 2023, Mr. Ólafsson released his anticipated new album on Deutsche Grammophon of J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations. He has dedicated his entire 2023–2024 season to a Goldberg Variations world tour, performing the work across six continents throughout the year. He brings Bach’s masterpiece to major concert halls that include London’s Southbank Centre, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Harpa Concert Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Sala São Paulo, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Tonhalle Zürich, Philharmonie Berlin, Müpa Budapest, KKL Luzern, and Alte Oper Frankfurt.

One of today’s most sought-after artists, Mr. Ólafsson has won multiple awards, including Opus Klassik Instrumentalist of the Year, Opus Klassik Solo Recording Instrumental, CoScan’s International Nordic Person of the Year, the Rolf Schock Prize for Music, Gramophone’s Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year at the BBC Music Magazine Awards.

Mr. Ólafsson is a captivating communicator both on and off stage, and his significant talent extends to broadcast, having presented several series on television and radio. He was artist-in-residence for three months on BBC Radio 4’s flagship arts program Front Row—broadcasting live during the pandemic from an empty Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík and reaching millions of listeners around the world.