MARGRÉT PÁLMADÓTTIR

Musician | Iceland

Margrét Jóhanna Pálmadóttir is the artistic director of the singing institution Domus vox and conductor of the female choirs; Vox feminae, Aurora, Cantabile and Stúlknakór Reykjavíkur. The women´s choir Vox Feminae (founded 1993; http://www.voxfeminae.is/) which has close to 50 members aged 18 to 60. Vox Feminae has performed on various occasions in Iceland and holds concerts regularly. Vox Feminae has undertaken Concert Tours both in Iceland and abroad, Sweden, Danmark, Germany, Austria, France and several times in Italy for example the choir has performed in Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milano, Asti, Massa, Venezia, Piasenza, Parma. In november 2000 Vox Feminae won a silver medal in the VIIth International Palestrina Choir competition, held in the Vatican in Rome, Italy. Sacred music has been a large part of the choirs repertoire but Vox Feminae has also placed emphasis on modern music by Icelandic composers.

She began her musical career at an early age in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, studying piano and as a soloist with The Öldutúns-school Choir and with The Hafnarfjarðar-church Choir. Later she became a vocal student with the Music School in Kópavogur, University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria, The Reykjavík Academy of Singing and Vocal Arts in Iceland and in Italy. Her tutors include amongst others Elísabet Erlingsdóttir, Svanhvít Egilsdottir, Þuríður Pálsdóttir, Lina Pagliughi and Eugenia Ratti.

Margrét performed as a soloist for the first time at 12 years of age both in radio and on television. She performed together with The Icelandic National Theatre Choir for 4 years and participated in various theatrical performances at The City Theatre in Reykjavík both as a soloist and music director. Her choirs have numerous times participated in theatre performances in Reykjavík as well as with The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2000 Margrét founded Domus Vox in Reykjavík, Iceland, an establishment which unites under one roof a school of vocal studies and choir practices. Since the beginning, Margrét has led the great innovational and inspiring work in favor of girls and womens choirs in Iceland and for her pioneering work she was rewarded the Knights Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland in 2004. In 2004 she was also rewarded The Royal Order of the North Star by Swedish King Carl Gustaf. Her frequent collaboration with The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and various choirs of Domus vox in orchestra pieces such as; The Planets, The Lord of the Rings, Mahler´s 3rd Symphony and regular Chrismas concerts, hasled to many nominations and recognition for outstanding musical performance.