“Music Patron matters today because it functions as a counter force in a music industry that is moving in a hostile direction; The changing habits of consumers along with the severe lack of government funding threatens to suffocate live music. Live music is where we get the chance to make those very important connections we all need as human beings. So, if you care about music, and live music especially, please consider joining Music Patron in order to help support the people who are dedicated to keeping music alive.”
Helgi R. Ingvarsson is a composer and singer based in Brighton, England and Reykjavik, Iceland. His music is regularly premiered and performed in e.g. the Nordic countries and Great Britain.
Among his works are a whole host of choral works, songs, instrumental works for soloists as well as chamber groups, and seven operas that all have received numerous performances in England, Iceland and Sweden. He sometimes performs his own songs in public concerts under the name “Helgi”.
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Opera Magazine described Ingvarsson’s opera Music and the Brain as being “immediately engaging“ (2022), and his music has been described by critics to have “a strong personal style” which “echoes the past” (2016). Ingvarsson’s music is “full of emotion and is mesmerising” (2022).
Helgi holds a doctorate degree in music composition (DMus) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, generously supported by the Guildhall School Trust. He also studied music in Iceland and Sweden. He is currently in the process of moving from being exclusively a ‘backroom composer’ to a composer who performs his own compositions, which is fairly rare in the world of classical music today.
What does being one of Helgi’s patrons look like?
“You don’t get inspiration from sitting alone at your desk. Communicating with my patrons is part of my search for inspiration.”
Patrons supporting Helgi become part of his journey as a singer-composer. Patrons receive updates and behind-the-scenes insights into Helgi’s creative process and will be invited to live events. They will see how a piece comes alive, from being an idea on a page to being a fully fledged creation on stage.
Hear directly from Helgi’s patrons
“Being a music patron is deeply rewarding, as you get to support a talented artist and witness their creativity flourish. It’s an inside view to the process with opportunities to attend and support intimate performances. Helgi’s parlour concert in the Kings Cross Clock Tower will certainly be one of the highlights of 2025 for me!”
Anna Baldursdottir, Patron
“I’ve known Helgi Ingvarsson for many years and it’s been a joy to watch him grow and evolve as a composer. Supporting him through Music Patron feels like a natural extension of that journey. It’s deeply rewarding to be part of the process that helps bring his music to life, knowing that my support contributes to the creation of something original and lasting.”
Inga Lísa Middleton, Patron
Supporting a composer on Music Patron gives you a first-hand perspective on the many elements within the creative process, and an understanding of an authentic journey of a composer. You can find out more about what it’s like to be a patron here.
Winter Fog translation (listen below)
“The mountainside is clothed in fog, a freezing quilt of patches, / and fallen snow that sits on cracks and cuts from years ago. / It breaks the skyline up ahead, a broken row of scratches, / full of seeds that hold the growth which coming years will show.”
