Árni Heiðar Karlsson has a successful career in the Icelandic music scene over the last 30 years as a pianist, composer and conductor. He graduated with a Masters Degree in classical piano from College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and and also studied jazz piano at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music. He has performed widely as soloist and accompanist with singers and instrumentalist, worked as an accompanist for the Wiesbaden Operahouse, Icelandic Academy of the Arts, Söngskóli Sigurðar Demetz, and played a few concerts with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. 

In addition, he has composed and directed music in plays at the National Theatre of Iceland and Borgarleikhúsið (Reykjavik Theatre) and worked on music for film projects.