Víkingur Ólafsson

Víkingur Ólafsson, Cal Performances’ 2025–26 Artist in Residence, is one of the most celebrated classical artists of our time—a unique and visionary musician who brings his profound originality to some of the greatest works in music history. His recordings resonate deeply with audiences around the world, reaching more than one billion streams and winning numerous awards, including the 2025 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for his album of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BBC Music Magazine’s Album of the Year, and the Opus Klassik Solo Recording of the Year (twice). Other notable honors include the Rolf Schock Music Prize; Gramophone​’s Artist of the Year; Musical America’s Instrumentalist of the Year; the Order of the Falcon (Iceland’s order of chivalry); and the Icelandic Export Award, given by the President of Iceland.

Next month sees Ólafsson present his latest album, Opus 109, which places Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30, Op. 109 at its heart. In an illuminating and thrilling musical dialogue with Schubert, J.S. Bach, and other works by Beethoven, the recording traces the lineages that converge on this masterpiece of the piano literature. He tours the anticipated new program widely, bringing it to the greatest concert halls across Europe and North America, and here to Zellerbach Hall on April 29, 2026.

In 2025–26, Ólafsson opens the season with this current tour of the US as Featured Artist with Philharmonia Orchestra, and returns to the Berlin Philharmonic with Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic with Sir Antonio Pappano. He also reunites with John Adams and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for performances of After the Fall, a piano concerto written expressly for him. Ólafsson will also mark the Kurtág centenary celebrations in 2026 and appear at MUPA, Budapest.

For more on Víkingur Ólafsson’s Cal Performances residency as 2025–26 Artist in Residence, please see the article beginning on page 4.