By Jónas Sen.

Three impressive choirs joined forces for a Christmas concert at Langholtskirkja last Sunday. One of them, the Choir of Langholtskirkja, is a mixed choir, while the other two—Graduale Choir of Langholtskirkja and Graduale Nobili—are women’s choirs. Graduale Nobili is perhaps best known for touring with Björk Guðmundsdóttir during her Biophilia tour about a decade ago. The choir consists of young women, ensuring regular renewal of its members. While the faces may have changed since then, the quality remained as high as ever.

With Glowing Eyes
The program was lively and diverse, featuring performances by the choirs individually and together. Given the mention of Björk, it’s worth noting a standout piece on the program that she made famous: The Christmas Cat by Ingibjörg Þorbergs, with lyrics by Jóhannes úr Kötlum. The arrangement by Skarphéðinn Þór Hjartarson was delightful, featuring creative additions such as eerie howls and hisses directed at the audience. The choir’s theatrical flair was especially engaging, vividly bringing the terrifying creature to life with its glowing eyes and “whiskers sharp as spikes.” The joy of singing was so infectious and over-the-top that it left the audience in fits of laughter. It was an unforgettable performance.

Reaching a Majestic Climax
Another spectacular piece was Deck the Hall, known in Icelandic as Skreytum hús með grænum greinum. This traditional Welsh Christmas carol was performed with extraordinary energy, remarkable speed, and dramatic hand movements. The rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas, an English folk song, also stood out. It was marked by a sense of growing delight, building to a majestic climax. There were many other highlights, too numerous to mention, but the majority of the songs were thoroughly entertaining.

Polished Arrangements and a Stellar Soloist
The choral arrangements were consistently excellent, striking a balance between simplicity and vibrancy. They avoided the tiresome gospel-style embellishments that can sometimes detract from beautiful songs. The flow of the arrangements, and the singing itself, was captivating, and the true spirit of Christmas shone throughout. This was particularly evident in several audience sing-along segments, which were both joyous and festive.

The soloist of the evening, baritone Oddur Arnþór Jónsson, is one of Iceland’s finest opera singers. His performance was powerful, with a voice both large and rich, exuding immense beauty and heartfelt interpretation without veering into superficiality. Oddur’s presence was so commanding it felt as though he were an entire choir unto himself. At first, his grandeur seemed almost overwhelming alongside the less experienced teenage girls of the Graduale Choir of Langholtskirkja, but the contrast quickly became natural.

Overall, this was an excellent concert. The choir directors—Magnús Ragnarsson, Agnes Jórunn Andrésdóttir, Lilja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, and Sunna Karen Einarsdóttir—had everything perfectly under control, and the instrumentalists performed with great professionalism. Leaving the church, one felt uplifted, stepping into the serene night with gentle snowfall—a perfect ending to a wonderful evening.

Conclusion:
A lively and thoroughly enjoyable Christmas concert.

Choir of Langholtskirkja, Graduale Choir of Langholtskirkja, and Graduale Nobili performed Christmas carols.
Soloist: Oddur Arnþór Jónsson
Langholtskirkja, Sunday, December 15