Remembering René Goiffon: The Visionary Behind Our Iceland Tours

Forgive us for sharing this news later than we would have liked — the truth is, it has taken us some time to find the right words for someone who meant so much to us.

René Goiffon, our beloved collaborator and the principal architect of our Icelandic tours, passed away this Spring. Some of you who traveled to Iceland with us might remember René. He generously shared his adventurous spirit, refined taste, and love of music and culture with Project Por Amor. In his memory, I'd like to share some stories about this passionate, caring, and curious colleague whose memory has become a blessing.

From Havana to Friendship

In 2014, I organized a tour for U.S. composers with the American Composers Forum to participate in the Havana Contemporary Music Festival. We were impressed when we learned that the president of the prestigious classical music record label, Harmonia Mundi, had signed up to join our delegation.

When we arrived in Havana, this luminary was a charming, sophisticated man from Paris, but we didn't get to know him well because he often skipped most of our program’s activities.

"I don't like group tours and prefer not to follow such a rigid schedule!" he'd mutter at the start of each day, then wander the streets of Havana alone.

I felt bad because he kept missing one life-changing concert after another, and breakthrough conversations between U.S. and Cuban composers and classical musicians, along with many other exciting Por Amor activities.

After we returned home, René stayed in touch. Living in Santa Monica, he occasionally invited me to lunch at his favorite L.A. restaurants to talk about Cuba. He was completely captivated by his Havana tour, transforming into an avid cubaphile overnight. Shortly after, he retired from Harmonia Mundi and returned to Cuba as much as he could, discovering fascinating artists, architecture, cuisine, music, and the endless treasures of Havana's depths.

Falling in Love with Iceland

In 2017, René invited me to lunch to tell me about his incredible trip to Iceland, where he had just returned from the legendary Airwaves Music Festival. A friend had connected him with some Reykjavik musicians.

To his astonishment, he was treated like a celebrity. Icelanders are passionate and knowledgeable about music, often studying the people behind both well-known and obscure records they love. Upon arrival, he was honored with dinner parties and had dozens of talented musicians who admired his records invite him to concerts and social gatherings.

The hospitality and warmth he experienced transformed him into an Icelandophile, sharing the same glowing admiration for the Arctic island as he felt for the Caribbean one.

Over lunch, he told me about his connections within the Icelandic community and the island's unique culture. With his friendships and knowledge, we thought it would be a fun experiment in organizing cultural tours of Iceland as I did in Cuba.

Building a Different Kind of Iceland Tour

To start the process, I traveled to Reykjavik with my cousin for the next Airwaves Music Festival to see the country, meet the people for myself, and explore the suggested tour route René had designed.

He introduced me to his friends, and I quickly received the same generous hospitality he did. I was instantly invited into one of the most talented and inspiring communities of musicians I had ever met, and fell deeply for the island’s music and culture in a way I had only felt before in Cuba.

René and I continued to develop this tour to be unique for combining the arts, culture, and meaningful encounters with locals with the jaw-dropping landscapes most people seek out. From our perspective, the natural beauty of Iceland is truly appreciated only when experienced alongside the equally special culture of Icelanders.

The Tours René Created

[Photo Gallery: South Coast highlights, local musicians, travelers, North Iceland landscapes]

Our first tour of Reykjavik and the South Coast launched in 2019 and was an instant success.

Then, during the Covid lockdown, I was invited back to live with my family for three months and record with a string orchestra in Akureyri.

After a couple of tours, many travelers who experienced Iceland with us want to return for more, prompting René to explore the rest of the island and develop a second itinerary that curates more unique experiences. René's favorite region was the "Nordurlands."

Soon after, we launched our North Coast tour, and these two tours have been held annually ever since.

René's Legacy

At Project Por Amor, we're proud and lucky to be René's collaborators and the keepers of his two experiences. We aim to continue offering them for years to come.

These Icelandic journeys are special because René poured the same passion, research, and relationship-building into these itineraries as he did into his Grammy Award-winning records at Harmonia Mundi.

His deep observation of everyday life was filtered through his discerning taste and appreciation for rare culture, luxury, design, cuisine, character, and authenticity. Yet, his greatest talent was bringing people together, locally and across the world.

Not only did René leave humanity with countless extraordinary music recordings, but he also gifted us some of the world's most immersive week-long cultural experiences — quite a remarkable legacy for someone who "hated group tours and rigid schedules."

A Video Tribute

We'd like to share this video of René we made five years ago. He beautifully illustrates our above tribute to him and his philosophy of travel.

Experience René's Iceland

René's Nordurlands tour — his favorite corner of Iceland — departs in July, and traveling it remains the truest way we know to experience what he built.

Share Your Memories

Our hearts go out to René's family and the many loved ones, friends, and collaborators around the world who are feeling this loss alongside us — we hope it brings some comfort to know how far his warmth and passion reached, and how many lives he touched on three continents.

If you traveled with René or were one of the many people he brought together over the years, we'd love to hear your stories. Send us a message at projectporamor@gmail.com, and we'll gather your memories and make sure they reach his family.

With gratitude,

Sage