Magnus Ragnarsson

**Magnús Ragnarsson** is an Icelandic composer known for his choral and sacred music, including works like *Messa*, *Stabat Mater*, and *Icelandic Choral Works*. He began composing in 2005 after finishing studies as a church musician at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, initially focusing on conducting choirs before inspiration from expecting his first child, son Ísak, led him to write his debut choral piece.

His style is intuitive and feeling-driven rather than theoretical—he experiments on piano or with choirs, drawing from phrases noted in other music without copying. After a composing hiatus filled with arrangements, he completed *Messa* in 2021, blending styles: a solemn Icelandic *Kyrie*, rhythmic *Gloria*, free-form *Credo* with Gregorian chant to jazz, and a peacefully challenging *Agnus Dei*.