[ altus artists ]

STEFÁN RAGNAR HÖSKULDSSON

Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson was born in Iceland in 1975, and began to play the flute at the age of eight studying with Bernhard Wilkinson. After graduating from the Reykjavik Conservatory in 1995, having won numerous prizes and awards he entered the Royal Northern College of Music studying with Peter Lloyd. His teachers have also included William Bennett, Trevor Wye and Wissam Boustany.

In February 2004, Stefan was appointed second flutist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

His career as a solo flutist has taken him to major venues around Europe and the USA including the Purcell Room in London, Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, the CAMI Hall, Merkin Hall in New York, the Kaufman Culture Center - 92 Street Y and Barge Music. His festival engagements have also included performances at the Guiting and Aldeburgh festivals and the Shaw Library Concert Series in London UK. In the USA he has performed various festivals such the Academy of Music Festival in New Jersey, the Chamber Music Conference in Bennington Vermont, the One World Symphony Chamber Music Series and the Summit Music Festival. He also gives master classes at Manhattan School of Music.

In addition to his current orchestral position Stefan has played principal flute with the Westchester Philharmonic and the NYC Ballet Orchestras.

In 2001 Stefán won the Young Musician Award from the Icelandic arts committee ÝMIR, he premiered a concerto by Paul Pampichler written specially for Stefán for that occasion with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Stefan has recorded for Naxos and Castle labels.