Icelandic Cellist Mirjam Ingolfsson has Died, Aged 49

A graduate of the Curtis and Cleveland Institutes of Music, Ingolfsson has passed away from a 25-year battle with cancer

Born in 1974 in Reykjavik, Iceland, to a family of musicians and artists, Mirjam Ingolfsson started learning the cello at age four. 

At age seven, she toured Europe and the U.S., recording the Bach G Major solo suite for the Belgian State Radio in Brussels, and made her solo debut at the 1983 Spoleto USA Festival the following year. 

A Curtis Institute of Music, Temple University, and Cleveland Institute of Music graduate, her mentors included Orlando Cole, Alan Harris, Jeffrey Solow, and Nathaniel Rosen.

Ingolfsson won top prizes at the ASTA Pennsylvania State Competition and the Graham Stahl Cello Competition — and participated in the Piatigorsky Seminar, Bach Festival of Philadelphia, Schleswig Holstein Festival, and the Jeunesse Musicales Festival.

Later based in Philadelphia, she played solo with the Icelandic Symphony, Tuscaloosa Symphony, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, Abington Symphony Orchestra, and Ocean City Pops.

As a chamber musician, Ingolfsson’s collaborators included pianists Ursula Ingolfsson-Fassbind, Robert Koenig, Bruce Polay, Vladimir Stoupel, and Mikhail Yanovitsky; violinists Ellen dePasquale, Jason dePue, Sigrun Evaldsdöttir, Judith Ingolfsson, Phillip Kates, Nick Kendall, Julia Sakharova, and Zina Schiff; clarinetist John Russo; and organist-conductor Matthew Glandorf.

A champion of new music, Ingolfsson worked with composers David Finko and David Hush, among others, plus was part of Philadelphia’s 2014 Fringe Arts Festival, where she performed Berio’s Sequenza XIV for solo cello. 

Her playing also featured on NPR, Icelandic State Radio and Television, CBS Sunday Morning, PBS, Australia’s 2MBS-FM, and on LMA recordings and the CRS label.

In 2001, she co-founded the Leopold Mozart Academy, where she taught cello, music theory, and solfège.

Additionally, she was a cellist in the Prometheus Chamber Orchestra from 2013 and was a founding member of the Archi Celesti ensemble. 

“Mirjam's life was a testament to strength, resilience, and a passion for music that touched the lives of many,” wrote the Ingolfsson family. “Her unwavering dedication to her cello and inspiration to all who had the privilege of hearing her play.

“[Her] quiet wisdom, quick wit, and humble nature endeared her to everyone she met. She approached life as a continuous journey of learning, always seeking to expand her horizons and share her knowledge with others.

“The last two years of Mirjam's life were marked by immense challenges, yet her spirit remained unbroken,” they continued. “Despite her struggles, she continued to radiate love, kindness, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of existence. 

“Mirjam’s legacy will forever resonate in the hearts of her family and friends. Her memory will be cherished by those who were fortunate enough to know her and be touched by her presence. Let us remember Mirjam with love, celebrate her remarkable life, and carry forward her legacy of strength, passion, and compassion.”

Ms. Ingolfsson’s funeral service will be held on August 31, 2023, at St. Mary's Cemetery in Baltimore. Our condolences to her family, friends, students, and colleagues.