It was announced this morning that pianist Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson has received the Nordic Council Music Prize for 2025. The prize is awarded every other year, alternating between honoring a living composer and recognizing either a small or large ensemble.

The award is one of the most respected cultural honors in the Nordic region, and Víkingur is the seventh Icelander to receive it since it was first established.

Víkingur Heiðar is one of today’s most admired classical musicians. His recordings have been streamed more than one billion times, and he has received many prizes and honors — including a Grammy Award, the Order of the Falcon, and the President of Iceland’s Export Award, among others.

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You can watch an interview with the award winner here:

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Iceland Music extends its sincere congratulations to Víkingur