The composer and pianist Snorri Sigfús Birgisson commenced his musical studies with Gunnar Sigurgeirsson and then went on to study at the Reykjavík College of Music where his teachers were Hermína Kristjánsson, Jón Nordal, Árni Kristjánsson (piano), and Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson (composition). He studied piano with Barry Snyder at the Eastman School of Music, U.S.A. (1974-1975) and composition with Finn Mortensen in Norway where he also studied electronic music with Lasse Thoresen and sonology with Thoresen and Olav Anton Thommessen (1975-76). Snorri moved to Amsterdam in 1976 where he studied composition for two years with Ton de Leeuw. Since 1980 he has been living in Reykjavík, where he is active as a musician and music teacher. He has composed solo works, chamber works, symphonic pieces and choir music. In 1997 he gave the first performance of his new Piano Concerto with the North Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. The Piano Concerto was nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize 1997. Portrait No.6 for solo piano was performed at the ISCM festival in 2000.
