Organ summer in Hallgrímskirkja will take place from July 3rd till August 22nd. Eight Icelandic organists will allow the magnificent Klais-organ of Hallgrímskirkja to sound at lunchtime concerts from the 3rd till the 14th of August.

Jónas Þórir will perform at the 7th concert of the Organ Summer on the 14th of August.

Jonas Thorir (b. 1956), cantor, musician and composer, was born in Reykjavík. He matriculated from Reykjavik Junior College and began studying medicine at the University of Iceland before following his calling to become a musician. Jonas Thorir was raised in a home inundated with music. His father, Jonas Thorir senior, played the violin in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and his mother, Ingrid Kristjansdottir, taught piano. At eight years of age Jonas Thorir began studying the violin with concert master Bjorn Olafsson and was one of the youngest pupils at Reykjavík Music School. Later, Jonas Thorir studied piano with Halldor Haraldsson and the organ with Marteinn Hunger. Additionally, Jonas Thorir studied composition with Atli Heimir Sveinsson. He graduated from the music teacher’s program of Reykjavik Music school and later also as cantor and church musician from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland’s Music School where his main mentor was cantor and school principal Bjorn Steinar Solbergsson.

For many years, Jonas Thorir taught music theory at the musician union’s music school (Tonskoli FIH) as well as providing accompaniment to voice students. Jonas Thorir is on the faculty of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland’s Music School. He has been an active and productive accompanist for Iceland’s best known singers giving recitals all across Iceland as well as abroad. Jonas Thorir has played on 45 cds as well as more than 300 television programs.

Jonas Thorir is now the cantor for Bustaðakirkja Church in Reykjavík.