A new Golden Age 
Víkingur Ólafsson a national treasure 

Stefan Jonasson, Winnipeg, MB

Acclaimed Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has been awarded the 2025 Nordic Council Music Prize. He had been nominated for the prize twice before, so as the old saying goes, “the third time is the charm.”

“Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has captured the imagination of public and critics alike with his profound musicianship,” according to the judge’s rationale for making the award. “His ascent has been steady, with praise growing with each passing year. Today, he enjoys world fame as one of the most acclaimed practicing pianists, known for his innovative interpretations, captivating performances, and ability to connect classical music with a broader audience. …

“Ólafsson is a passionate advocate of classical music and determinedly explores new ways to present it to everyone who wants to listen, using modern platforms to reach wider audiences and emphasize the significance of the classical world.”

The Nordlys statuette given to award winners was formally presented in Stockholm on October 28, along with four other Nordic Council prizes in literature, children’s and youth literature, film, and the environment. It is interesting to note that two of five prizes this year were granted to nominees from the Faroe Islands: poet Vónbjørt Vang for literature and Seinasta paradís á jørð, directed by Sakaris Stórá, for film. (This is the first time a Faroese film was nominated.) Each prize carries a stipend of 300,000 Danish kroner (approximately $65,000 Canadian).

The Nordic Council Music Prize is awarded for the performance and creation of music of a high artistic standard. First awarded in 1965, it was originally given once every three years, but since 1990, the prize alternates between composers one year and performers the next. Each of the five Nordic countries is entitled to submit two nominations, while the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland are each permitted one nomination. Previous Icelandic recipients include performers Gyða Valtýsdóttir (2019) and Björk (1997) and composers Anna Thorvaldsdóttir (2012), Haukur Tómasson (2004), Halfliði Hallgrímsson (1986), and Atli Heimir Sveinsson (1976).

Víkingur Ólafsson has emerged as a leader among a new generation of performers who have captured the imagination of audiences, young and old alike, and rejuvenated interest in classical music.

“It is 2025 now. If we go back to, say, 1725, when Bach is writing some of his most beautiful works, it is only 300 years. And what are 300 years?” asks Víkingur in the Nordic Council’s profile video. “It is just a few generations, a few grandmothers singing their children to sleep. This is very important for me. Classical music is not old, it is new. This has just started. We have to approach the music on those grounds. This is all new.”