The organist

Ever since he won the first prize in the improvisation competition Grand Prix de Chartres in 1984, Gunnar Idenstam has toured the world as a concert organist. He is known for his virtuoso playing, stunning improvisations and untraditional and original approach to organ music. He studied the French tradition under the legendary Marie-Claire Alain and, in improvisation, Jacques Taddei, and he graduated with the highest honors. His speciality today is to arrange and perform music that is not originally made for the organ, such as early Baroque dances, Swedish folk music and symphonic music like Debussy’s La mer.

Throughout his career he also has a special love for the monumental organ music by Bach.

In Monaco Cathedral. Photo: AnnaReet Gillblad

The composer

In his own music he aims to transcend the limitations of genre when he builds bridges between French cathedral tradition, symphonic rock and Swedish folk music. He comes from a background of classical music but have always had a "distant love relationship" with the symphonic and progressive rock of the 1970s. Today he has brought these influences into the context of organ music.

Balboa Park, San Diego USA. Photo: Robert F Lang

Reviews

"Gunnar Idenstam is a sensation! As far as I know, nobody has ever created the kind of music that he creates. I am speechless".

- Helsingin Sanomat, 2020
"Individuality is the word you can append on the Swede Gunnar Idenstam, who´s organ improvisations occupy their own universe - part hard apocalyptic progressive rock, part elfin folklore, part nave shaking French symphony. Idenstam´s touch of the organ is as funky as it is majestic."

- Gramophone, December 2018
"Many top organists have performed on the great new organ in the Helsinki Music Center during its first year, but there is only one Gunnar Idenstam. A Swedish virtuoso and wizard of the organ with no technical or stilistic boundaries." 

- Helsingin Sanomat 2025
"His most exciting arrangement is "La Valse" by Maurice Ravel. The complex structures of the score becomes in Idenstam´s organ arrangement a three dimensional experience.

- Berliner Morgenpost 2015
"Idenstam´s love for the folk music and the symphonic rock of the 70´s manifests in his improvisation and composition style in such a convincing way, that you cannot talk about crossover music of classical and pop, but more about a kind of music that independently of musical styles unfolds in its own beauty."

- Nord West Zeitung 2016
"A Saami Requiem is the brainchild of Gunnar Idenstam and Ola Stinnerbom. Idenstam is an organist known for innovative programing and conceptual projects, such as pairing traditional Christmas music with Swedish folk music, writing organ music influenced by heavy metal, and transcribing orchestral showpieces by Debussy and Ravel for the instrument." 

- Music Web International 2022

Short videos

Toccata V

From Metal Angel. Concert in Stockholm Concert Hall. Organ by Grönlund.

Bach

From Prelude and Fugue in E Minor BWV 548. Thomaskirche in Lepzig. Organ by Gerhard Woehl.

Debussy La Mer

Idenstam´s transcription. From a concert in Stockholm Concert Hall.

Improvisation

Improvisation on a Basque folk song. One of the encores at a concert in San Sebastian Cathedral.

Gothic Garden

From Metal Angel. Studio acusticum, Sweden.

Next concert

Solo recital

Székesfehérvár Cathedral. Day of The Organ Festival, Hungary. Bach, Swedish traditional folk music, Orff Carmina burana and improvisations for the Pentecost time.

June 7
Solo recital

Ottobeuren Basilica
Ottobeuren, Germany. Bach, Bruckner, Ravel, Idenstam.

June 28
Solo recital

Kulturcentrum
Gröbenzell, Germany

June 29
Bach in Swedish

with Lisa Rydberg, violin. Confidencen Opera & Music Festival. Confidencen Slottsteater, Stockholm.

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