Karólína was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and studied piano as a child.
She later studied composition at the Reykjavik College of Music with Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson and at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with George Wilson, Leslie Bassett and William Albright.
[1] She graduated with a master's degrees in music history and research (1976) and in composition (1978),[2] and took a teaching position at the College of Music in Reykjavik.
[3] Karólína's works have been performed in France, England, Vienna, Tokyo, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Argentina.
[4] Karólína composes for orchestra, solo instruments, chamber ensembles, computer music and opera.