Fulbright Bringing Jazz to Iceland!

The first recipient of the Fulbright Greece-Iceland Joint Award for Arts and Design is jazz guitarist and composer Rory Stuart, associate professor at the New School of Jazz. The award is meant for artists to gain inspiration by contrasting environments of the Arctic and the Mediterranean by spending three months in each country working on and showcasing their art. Rory came to Iceland in February after spending three months in Corfu over the wintertime and dove straight into working with students of rhythmic music at Iceland University of the Arts and organizing concerts. In addition to working with students during his time in Reykjavik, Stuart worked on original compositions and new arrangements. He collaborated with Icelandic jazz musicians performing his own songs in Djúpið in Reykjavík in February and Salurinn in Kópavogur in March. The highlight of his stay here was a concert at the Múlinn Jazz Club in Harpa Concert Hall in April, where he was joined by a selection of Iceland’s top jazz musicians performing as the Rory Stuart Nonet.

Rory Stuart with host Sigurður Flosason at Djúpið in February