Hallfríður Ólafsdóttir

Hallfríður Ólafsdóttir (12 July 1964 – 4 September 2020) was an Icelandic flautist, music pedagogue and writer. She did chamber music for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted orchestra with several symphony orchestras and was a flute teacher at various Icelandic institutions. Hallfríður collaborated in the creation of the mouse Maximus Musicus to introduce children to classical music. She received multiple awards and recognition for her work and was appointed Knight's Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 2014.

Early life and education Hallfríður was born on 12 July 1964 in Reykjavík. She was brought up in Kópavogur. Hallfríður was educated at Kársnesskóli in Kópavogur and Kvennaskólinn í Reykjavík. She was a graduate of Reykjavík High School and each of the Reykjavík Academy of Music with a degree for being a brass teacher and a soloist in mid-1988 under Bernharður Wilkinson, and the Royal Northern College of Music with a post-graduate diploma. Hallfríður received private tutoring in French music in Paris under Alain Marion between late 1991 and early 1992.

Career

She returned to Iceland following graduation to become a flautist and teacher in Reykjavik. The five children's books called Maxímús Músíkús heimsækir hljómsveitina (2008), Maxímús Músíkús trítlar í tónlistarskólann (2010), Maxímús Músíkús bjargar ballettinum (2012), Maxímús Músíkús kætist í kór (2014) and Maxímús Músíkús fer á fjöll (2017) were published in eight languages and more than 100 concerts based on the stories have staged by symphony orchestras worldwide. In 2014, Hallfríður was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, for "her contribution towards musical education of children". She was married to the musician Ármann Helgason, with whom she had two children. On the evening of 4 September 2020, she died of cancer in the emergency department at the Landspítali.