Beginning in 1984, Faroese composers

started organizing concerts of their own

music together with works by international

composers. After establishing the

Association of Faroese Composers (Felagið

Føroysk Tónaskøld) in 1987, these concerts

became more regular, especially with the

annual Spring Concert and a series of

concerts over the summer in collaboration

with the Listasavn Føroya.

In 1991 a concert with works by several Faroese composers was presented at the St Magnus Festival in Orkney.

 

After participating at a festival in a community comparable with the Faroe Islands, we decided to establish a similar festival the following year in the Faroes.

We used the name Summartónar from the beginning and in 1992 15 concerts were held in Tórshavn, Kirkjubøur, and Runavík with compositions by William Heinesen, Edvard Nyholm Debess, Alti K. Petersen, Pauli í Sandagerði, Heðin Meitil, Bjarni Restorff, Ólavur Jøkladal, H.J. Højgaard, Esmar Jacobsen, Sunleif Rasmussen, Kristian Blak, Richard Stanley, and Graeme Rudd in addition to classical repertoire.Since these early years, the musical scene in the Faroes has gone from strength to strength and our festival reflects the diversity and creativity of today’s musicians who bring Faroese music to the world and international music to the Faroes.

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- Sunleif Rasmussen,

The Association of Faroese Composers