Guðmundur Óli Gunnarsson is a conductor, music teacher, and choir director with decades of experience in Icelandic musical life. He studied orchestral conducting in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and pursued further studies with Jorma Panula in Helsinki.

He served as Chief Conductor of the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra for 24 years and has conducted the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, the East Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and the contemporary music ensemble Caput. Guðmundur Óli was Music Director of the Icelandic Opera and is the founder and conductor of the South Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

He has led the North Iceland Chamber Choir since its founding and is highly active in choir work, teaching, and conducting. Guðmundur has premiered numerous new Icelandic works, both with choirs and orchestras.