Víkingur Ólafsson

Discover an artist who draws “the kind of whooping ovation usually reserved for rock stars” (The Guardian). Víkingur Ólafsson, winner of the 2025 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, is one of today’s most sought-after artists. This extraordinary Icelandic pianist’s recordings have drawn nearly a billion streams and won many awards including BBC Music Magazine Album of the Year. In live performance, Ólafsson is “a hypnotic presence at the keyboard; listeners might be held back in thrilling anticipation one moment or tumbled headlong into the maelstrom” ( The Guardian ). On his newest album, Opus 109 ( Beethoven | Bach | Schubert ) , Ólafsson places Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30 in thoughtful dialogue with music by Bach and Schubert. The result is intimate, searching, and boldly reimagined, an interpretation in which Ólafsson “opens up a transcendent vista on to a brave new world” ( The Guardian ). Now he brings this compelling program to the stage, offering audiences the chance to experience its clarity, intensity, and emotional depth live in concert. Please note: The Philadelphia Orchestra does not perform on the Spotlight Series.