In his role as a curator, Hjalmarsson has organized a diverse range of events within the field of contemporary music and visual art, including exhibitions, music festivals, concert series, concerts, installations, performances, and educational initiatives.

Hjalmarsson’s curatorial method emphasizes uniting a diverse array of artistic expressions by merging both established and upcoming artistic voices, particularly concentrating on enhancing underrepresented viewpoints in the art scene. His initiatives often incorporate educational components designed to captivate young audiences, encourage involvement, and creating opportunities for future voices to be heard.

2013-current: Curator of the contemporary music series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) at Hafnarborg – Centre of Culture and Fine Art in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland. In 2019 and 2020, the series evolved its format and transformed into exhibitions at the museum, blending the exhibition format with live events. The series was awarded Icelandic music awards as musical event of the year in 2019.

2020-2021: Co-curator along with artist Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir of the 10th version of the icelandic visual art biennale Sequences - Real time art festival. The Biennale featured concerts, exhibitions, performances, film debuts, and video installations throughout the city of Reykjavík

2021-2022: Artistic advisor for Nordic Music Days 2022 – Reykjavík.

2024-current: Co-curator of Dark Music Days festival in Reykjavík along with Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir, Ásmundur Jónsson and Björg Brjánsdóttir.Curated projects include the visual art biennale Sequences - Real Time Art Festival in 2021, co-curated with Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir. Contemporary music series Phonemes (ísl. Hljóðön) at Hafnarborg, since 2013 and co-curating the contemporary music festival Dark Music Days from 2025.

The concert series Hljóðön (e. Phonemes) at Hafnarborg was founded in 2013 and has since hosted concerts along with transforming into exhibitions. The concert series has included over 40 events since it first began in 2013.

Documentation from Dark Music Days 2025

DARK MUSIC DAYS

Currently co-curating the contemporary music festival Dark Music Days in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Established in 1980, Dark Music Days has been the foremost platform for showcasing innovative and progressive contemporary music in Iceland for over 40 years Dark Music Days is an Icelandic contemporary music festival held annually in Reykjavík, Iceland. Held during some of the darkest days of winter, Dark Music Days provides the foremost platform for showcasing innovative and progressive contemporary music in Iceland. Established by the Society of Icelandic Composers in 1980, the festival places emphasis on premiering new and often experimental pieces that reflect the ever-growing diversity and creativity of contemporary music. The role of Dark Music Days in the musical community in Iceland is vital both as an eye-opener for the general public and well as being an incubator for innovation, collaboration and inspiration within the musical community itself.

Dark Music Days particularly focus on encouraging new projects to debut and the daring nature of the festival’s programming has resulted in it premiering more new works of music every year than any other Icelandic cultural event. It is a festival celebrating the wealth of contemporary music creation in Iceland, showcasing a variety of concerts and compositions in different styles by diverse composers.

Dark Music Days puts an emphasis on presenting composers and performers ranging in age, nationality and gender while continuously celebrating the versatile and vivacious contemporary music scene in Iceland.