Arctic Dragon

Dr. Bragi Thor Valsson grew up in Reykjavik, Iceland. 

By the age of thirteen he was already a superstar in his own country, having been part of a singing group which achieved gold and platinum record sales respectively. 
By the time Bragi finished Secondary school he had completed his clarinet studies with one of Iceland’s leading clarinettists as his private tutor as well as completing the majority of his singing studies. During the next few years Bragi’s interest in music took him all over the World as he became a seven-time member and soloist of the esteemed World Youth Choir and later the World Voices. He performed as part of renowned ensembles in Iceland and voiced over the Disney movie Beauty and The Beast in Icelandic as the character of Gaston. 

While living in the United States Bragi completed a M.Mus. degree in Choral Conducting from Dr André Thomas at Florida State University. 

Upon his return to Iceland, Bragi was invited to become part of the Icelandic National Opera Chorus where he performed between 2004 and 2006. From 2006 and through 2010 Bragi conducted, arranged, taught, sang, and recorded as part of his daily work in Iceland, both on a contractual and freelance basis. He lived in South Africa from 2011 until 2019, for the first year as conductor of the Drakensberg Boys Choir and after that as choirmaster and music teacher at Lebone II College of the Royal Bafokeng, teaching various instruments including woodwinds, piano and voice. In 2013 Bragi was chosen to be one of the conductors of the South African National Youth Choir. In mid-2019 Bragi moved back to Iceland and now works as a music teacher and conductor in Reykjavík.

In 2022, he was awarded a PhD in Choral Conducting from Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

Bragi is regularly invited to adjudicate at choir and music competitions.