About Olga
Olga Vocal Ensemble is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Our singers are Dutch, Icelandic, English, and Russian-American.
We formed in 2012. It started small, but we soon had our first show (at the Icelandic embassy in Brussels), then a debut in the Netherlands, and then our first tour of Iceland in summer of 2013.
Since then, we’ve recorded 5 albums, toured Europe and the United States, and performed in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Harpa in Reykjavík, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
We’ve collaborated with composers and international artists, formed a foundation, and created a virtual singing festival during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.
We also adopted a red kettle. His name is Ketill Olguson, and he accompanies us on all our adventures.
Albums & Shows
Check out our CDs and other merch!
Winter Light
2021
We looove to sing our favorite Christmas songs to light up the winter season. Icelandic traditionals, German carols, Russian church hymns, original songs by the Olga members, and jazz standards all come together for a cozy time with Olga. SHOP
Aurora
2021
Aurora is a reminder that our nearness is greater than our distance. Illumination in darkness, glimmering harmony, dancing voices. The darker the world becomes, the clearer we see Aurora. SHOP
It’s a Woman’s World Album
2018
With It’s a Woman’s World, we explored feminist themes through the music of great female composers and artists, such as Hildegard von Bingen and Nina Simone. Also features commissioned pieces by Bára Grímsdóttir, Evelin Seppar, Carlijn Metselaar, and Anne-Maartje Lemereis. LYRICS | SHOP
Vikings! Album
2016
With our Vikings! album, we explored the lands of the vikings, ranging from Iceland and the Faroe Islands to Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia. Features music by Jean Sibelius, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, and Michael McGlynn, among others. LYRICS | SHOP
The Good Ol’ Days Show
2015
The Good Ol’ Days show visited the early 20th century. The great artists of the day shared the same spaces, visited the same restaurants, hung out at the same clubs. So, in our show, the music of Francis Poulenc and Richard Strauss rubs shoulders with the music of Glenn Miller, Édith Piaf, and the Ink Spots.
Debut Album
2014
This was our first recording effort, and it represented our diverse backgrounds and influences. Icelandic hymns, Russian folk songs, Scottish ballads, and more modern jazzy numbers. LYRICS | SHOP
Projects
Vox Virtual Festival
2020
Faced with worldwide lockdowns and mass concert cancellations, we created a virtual singing festival called Vox Virtual. We wanted to provide a platform for artists to present their music and a venue for fans to feel connected to the music.
The festival was produced together with Classical Movements and featured world-famous groups such as The Swingles, Accent, Cantus, ANÚNA, and Ensemble Rustavi. MORE INFO
WWI Commemoration
2018
In November 2018, at the 100-year anniversary of the end of the First World War, we decided to team up with our friend, mezzo-soprano Emma Brown, to record a song for the occasion. The result was this stirring version of William Henry Monk’s Abide with Me.
Vikings Theme Song Cover
2017
In the lead-up to our 2017 US tour, producers from the show Vikings contacted us about covering their theme song. The result was this epic version, shot and recorded in a hallway, with Ketill Olguson front and center in some sort of dark pagan ritual.
Adventures in Iceland
Back in 2012, we had 3 Icelanders in our ensemble, and we forged a strong connection to the people and landscape of Iceland. We’ve sung all over, from the biggest halls to the smallest churches on isolated coastal islands and distant fjords. It’s a special connection for us and shines through in our music and inspiration.
Here our videographer, Felipe Pipi, made a mini-documentary series about our 2014 Iceland tour.
Olga in Iceland ep. 1 - CD Fever
Olga in Iceland ep. 2 - Media Madness
Olga in Iceland ep. 3 - The Olga Boys
Olga in Iceland ep. 4 - What’s My Note Again?
Olga in Iceland ep. 5 - My Favorite Vocal Ensemble