The Norwegian conductor Grete Pedersen is one of the most renowned conductors in the international choral scene. Since 1990 Grete Pedersen is Music Director of the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir whose recordings were awarded the ‘Choc de la Musique’, ‘Prix d'Or’ from Diapason and a 'Record of the year’ by Gramophone. In September 2022 she has been appointed as Artistic Director of the Carmel Bach Festival, USA, for five years.
She lately took part in the project The Nordic Choir Expedition with her choir together with Ars Nova Copenhagen, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir and Helsinki Chamber Choir featuring the first performance of Galina Grigorjeva: Between the Earth and Skies and with music by Werle, Strauss, Taube, Janson, Melläs, Nyström, Martland, Eriksson in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo.
Forthcoming highlights include engagements with the Rundfunkchor Berlin, Slovenian Philharmonic & Choir (Brahms: Requiem) and concerts with The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir at festivals in Sion and Merano, apart from her commitments at Carmel Bach Festival 2023 with Mahler: Symphony No. 4, Karin Rehnqvist: Breaking the Ice from Arktis Arktis!, Haydn: The Creation among others.
Grete Pedersen is a demanded guest conductor and has worked with choirs and orchestras such as Eric Ericson Kammerchor, Swedish Radio Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble & Choir, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, NDR Vokalensemble Hamburg, MDR Radio Choir Leipzig, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Netherlands Radio Choir, Chamber Choir Ireland, Dunedin Consort, Pro Coro Canada etc.
She has led oratorios and choral symphonic works by J.S. Bach, Haydn, Bruckner, Bernstein and Berio with leading Norwegian orchestras, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic, Yale Camerata, Oslo Sinfonietta, Ensemble Allegria and Gulbenkian Orchestra & Choir.
BIS Records has released numerous award-winning recordings by Grete Pedersen and the Norwegian Soloists Choir with works by Per Norgard, Kaija Saariaho, Fartein Valen, Alfred Janson, Knut Nystedt, Nils Henrik Asheim, Lars Petter Hagen, Edvard Grieg, Iannis Xenakis, Helmut Lachenmann, Alban Berg, Olivier Messiaen, Anton Webern, Brahms, Schubert, J.S. Bach and Norwegian Folk Music. Her albums of Luciano Berio: Coro and J.S. Bach: Motets were awarded the Diapason d’Or in the years 2020 and 2018. Grete Pedersen and The Norwegian Soloists' Choir lately received the renowned Spellermann Prize for their album Lament (compositions by Lars Petter Hagen, Nils Henrik Asheim and Arne Nordheim) on BIS Records. The latest album release was in 2023 with Bent Sorensen: Matthew Passion with Ensemble Allegria and The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir.
Pedersen's name stands for productions and stagings with wide stylistic variety. Her contrasting concert programmes are known to often be a rather radical mixture. In addition to premiering contemporary musical works, her efforts have increasingly been directed towards larger productions for choir and orchestra.
At the start of her musical studies, Grete Pedersen founded the Oslo Chamber Choir in 1984 and worked with them for 20 years particularly with oratorio repertoire and contemporary music. She studied Norwegian folk music and has learnt from folk musicians and their traditions. Today she is considered a pioneer for her work bringing folk music to new settings and for the arrangements based on these roots. This is notwithstanding always challenging the tradition. As a church musician educated at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Grete Pedersen was a part of the movement of historical informed performances from the beginning of the 1980s and has worked amongst others with the Freiburger Barockorchester, Oslo Bach Ensemble, Norwegian Barokkanerne, Barokksolistene, Drottningholm Barokkensemble.
On the contemporary scene Grete Pedersen is known as an unafraid advocate for new music and has commissioned and performed numerous pieces by leading composers. One example is Bach in our time– a project over three years where composers James MacMillan, Lasse Thoresen, and Stefan Schleiermacher composed new music in dialogue with Bach’s B minor Mass.
In 2019, Grete Pedersen was appointed Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian St. Olavs Order for her merit and outstanding achievements in the arts and was awarded the distinguished Lindeman Prize to honour her significant contribution to the musical life of Norway.
She teaches as a professor in conducting at the Norwegian State Academy of Music since 1996 and is a sought-after teacher for masterclasses.
Season 2023/24
Read moreGrete Pedersen dirigiert den Rundfunkchor Berlin am 22. Dezember 2023 in Berlin in einem Weihnachtskonzert mit Werken von Giovanni Gabrieli, Thomas Tallis, Ottorino Respighi, Anton Bruckner, Orjan Matre, Gustaf Nordqvist und Arnold Schönberg.
Grete Pedersen conducts the Rundfunkchor Berlin in Berlin on 22 December 2023 in a christmas concert with music by Giovanni Gabrieli, Thomas Tallis, Ottorino Respighi, Anton Bruckner, Orjan Matre, Gustaf Nordqvist and Arnold Schönberg.
Grete Pedersen dirigiert den Norwegian Soloists' Choir in drei Konzerten in Hamar, Tonsberg und Oslo vom 03. - 05.11.2023 mit Werken von Richard Strauss, Mendelssohn, Kaija Saariaho, Therese Birkelund Ulvo, Reger und Schönberg.
Grete Pedersen conducts The Norwegian Soloists' Choir in three concerts in Hamar, Tonsberg and Oslo on 3, 4 and 5 November 2023 featuring a programme of Richard Strauss, Mendelssohn, Kaija Saariaho, Therese Birkelund Ulvo, Reger and Schönberg.
Grete Pedersens Album von Bent Sorensen: St. Matthew Passion mit The Norwegian Soloists' Choir und Ensemble Allegria bei BIS wurde vom Gramophone Magazin zum "Editor's Choice of the month" ausgewählt.
Grete Pedersen's album of Bent Sorensen: St. Matthew Passion with The Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria for BIS has been selected as "Editor's Choice of the month" by Gramophone.
Grete Pedersen leitet den Norwegian Soloists' Choir beim Festival in Sion am 1. September 2023 sowie Merano Festival in Lana am 3. September 2023. Auf dem Programm stehen Werke von Johann Christoph Bach, Richard Strauss, Lars Johan Werle, Edvard Grieg und Norwegische Volkslieder "Sonnengesänge".
Grete Pedersen directs The Norwegian Soloists' Choir at Sion festival on 1 September 2023 and at Merano Festival in Lana on 3 September 2023. The programme encompasses music by Johann Christoph Bach, Richard Strauss, Lars Johan Werle, Edvard Grieg and Norwegian folk songs "Canticles of the sun".
Grete Pedersen dirigiert drei Programme beim Carmel Bach Festival mit dem Festival Chorale bzw. Chorus und Orchestra: 15./22.07.2023 Haydn: Die Schöpfung, 18./25.07. Bach, Mahler, Lachenmann, Schubert, Zelenka und 21./28.07. Mozart: Ouvertüre Die Hochzeit des Figaro, Karin Rehnqvist: Breaking the Ice aus Arktis Arktis, Mahler: Blumine und Sinfonie Nr. 4.
Grete Pedersen conducts three programmes at Carmel Bach Festival with Festival Chorale, Chorus and Orchestra: 15./22.07.2023 Haydn: The Creation, 18./25.07. Bach, Mahler, Lachenmann, Schubert, Zelenka and 21./28.07. Mozart: Overture The marriage of Figaro, Karin Rehnqvist: Breaking the Ice of Arktis Arktis, Mahler: Blumine and Symphony No. 4.
Grete Pedersen dirigiert den Norwegian Soloists' Choir am 01.06.2023 in Helsinki, 04.06. Oslo, 08.06. Stockholm,
10.06. Kopenhagen mit Werken von Werle, Strauss, Taube, Janson, Melläs, Nyström, Martland und Eriksson sowie das Projekt THE NORDIC CHOIR EXPEDITION zusammen mit dem Ars Nova Copenhagen, Eric Ericson Kammerchor und Helsinki Kammerchor am 02.06. Helsinki, 04.06. Oslo, 07.06. Stockholm und 09.06. Kopenhagen die Erstaufführung von Galina Grigorjeva: Between the Earth and Skies.
Read moreGrete Pedersen conducts The Norwegian Soloists' Choir in Helsinki on 1 June 2023, Oslo on 4 June, Stockholm on
8 June and Copenhagen on 10 June featuring music by Werle, Strauss, Taube, Janson, Melläs, Nyström, Martland and Eriksson as well as the project THE NORDIC CHOIR EXPEDITION with Ars Nova Copenhagen, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir and Helsinki Chamber Choir featuring the first performance of Galina Grigorjeva: Between the Earth and Skies in Helsinki on 2 June, Oslo on 4 June, Stockholm on 7 June and Copenhagen on 9 June.
Read moreGrete Pedersen dirigiert das NDR Vokalensemble in zwei Konzerten am 01.04.2023 in Hannover Christuskirche und 02.04.2023 in Hamburg Elbphilharmonie. Auf dem Programm stehen Werke von Grieg, Iannis Xenakis, Liszt Via Crucis (mit Leif Ove Andsnes) und Schubert.
Grete Pedersen conducts the NDR Vokalensemble Hamburg in two concerts: Hannover Christuskirche 01.04.2023, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie 02.04.2023 with music by Edvard Grieg, Iannis Xenakis, Franz Liszt (with Leif Ove Andsnes) and Franz Schubert.
Grete Pedersen steht am 27. Januar 2023 erneut am Pult des Slovenian Philharmonic & Choir in Ljubljana mit Werken von J.S. Bach.
Grete Pedersen returns to the rostrum of Slovenian Philharmonic & Choir in Ljubljana on 27 January 2023 with a programme of music by J.S. Bach.
Kaspars Putnins dirigiert das Chorwerk Ruhr in zwei Konzerten am 17./18.12.2022 in Essen und Bochum mit Werken von Charpentier, Telemann, Orjan Matre, Gustav Nordquist und Henning Sommero.
Kaspars Putnins conducts Chorwerk Ruhr in two concerts on 17./18.12.2022 in Essen and Bochum with a programme of Charpentier, Telemann, Orjan Matre, Gustav Nordquist and Henning Sommero.
Grete Pedersen dirigiert das Fauré: Requiem sowie drei Werke von Karin Rehnqvist darunter die Uraufführung Day is here! mit dem Norwegian Soloists' Choir und Ensemble Allegria in drei Konzerten in Hamar, Fredrikstad und Oslo am 4., 5. und 6. November 2022.
Grete Pedersen conducts the Fauré: Requiem and three pieces by Karin Rehnqvist including the first performance of Day is here! with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria in three concerts in Hamar, Fredrikstad and Oslo on 4, 5 and 6 November 2022.
Grete Pedersen ist zur Künstlerischen Leiterin und Dirigentin des renommierten Carmel Bach Festivals in Kalifornien für fünf Jahre ernannt worden. Nach zwei
fulminanten Konzertprojekten im Juli mit dem Orchester und Chor des Festivals, wird sie das jährlich zweiwöchige Festival mit verschiedensten Projekten kuratieren bzw. musikalisch leiten. https://bachfestival.org/2022/08/24/carmel-bach-festival-welcomes-grete-pedersen-artistic-director-and-principal-conductor/
Read moreGrete Pedersen has been apppointed as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the renowned Carmel Bach Festival, California for five years. Following two stunning concert projects with the Orchestra and Chorus of the festival in July, she will curate and conduct the annually two-week festival with a wide variety of projects.https://bachfestival.org/2022/08/24/carmel-bach-festival-welcomes-grete-pedersen-artistic-director-and-principal-conductor/
Grete Pedersen conducts the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir Academy at Davos Festival in two concerts on 13 and 14 August 2022. The programmes feature music by Poulenc, Janson, Xenakis, Messiaen, J.S. Bach, Holten and Norwegian Folksongs.
Grete Pedersen dirigiert die Norwegian Soloists‘ Choir Academy beim Davos Festival in zwei Konzerten am 13./14. August 2022. Zu hören sind Werke von Poulenc, Janson, Xenakis, Messiaen, J.S. Bach, Holten und Norwegische Volkslieder.
Grete Pedersen leitet zwei Konzerte mit dem Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra bzw. Chorale und Vokalsolisten in Carmel-by-the-Sea am 21. Juli mit Werken von Ives,
Berio/Schubert, Beethoven sowie am 23. Juli ein A capella Programm mit Werken von J.S. Bach, Nystedt und Norwegischer Volksmusik.
Read moreGrete Pedersen conducts two concerts with Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra and vocal soloists in Carmel-by-the-Sea on 21 July with music by Ives, Berio/Schubert, Beethoven and on 23 July an A capella programme with music by J.S. Bach, Nystedt and Norwegian Folk music.
Grete Pedersen conducts the Gulbenkian Orchestra & Chorus in Lisbon on 22 and 23 December with J.S. Bach: Christmas oratorio, cantatas no. 1, 2 and opening choir no. 3
Grete Pedersen dirigiert das Gulbenkian Orchestra & Chorus am 22. und 23. Dezember in Lissabon. Auf dem Programm steht J.S. Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium (Kantaten Nr. 1, 2 und Eingangschor von Nr. 3).
Grete Pedersen conducts the Dunedin Consort in four concerts: 14.10. Aberdeen, 15.20. Greyfriar, 16.10. Glasgow, 17.10. St Andrews with a programme of Sven-David Sandström/Purcell, Robert Johnson, Edvard Grieg, Drew Hammond, Bo Holten, James MacMillan, J.S. Bach, Norwegian and Scottish traditionals.
Grete Pedersen dirigiert das Dunedin Consort in vier Konzerten: 14.10. Aberdeen, 15.10. Greyfriar, 16.10. Glasgow, 17.10. St. Andrews mit Werken von Sven-David Sandström/Purcell, Robert Johnson, Edvard Grieg, Drew Hammond, Bo Holten, James MacMillan, J.S. Bach, Norwegian and Scottish traditionals.
Grete Pedersen and the Norwegian Soloists' Choir guest at chor.com Hannover on 25 September in two concerts performing music by Orjan Matre, Eivin Buene, Knut Nystedt and Norwegian folksongs.
Grete Pedersen und The Norwegian Soloists' Choir sind am 25. September in Hannover auf der chor.com in zwei Konzerten zu erleben. Zu hören sind Werke von Orjan Matre, Eivin Buene, Knut Nystedt und norwegische Folksongs. Deutschlandfunk Kultur Mitschnitt: 02.10.2021, 19:05 Uhr,
Grete Pedersen and The Norwegian Soloists' Choir lately received the renowned Spellermann Prize for their album Lament (compositions by Lars Petter Hagen, Nils Henrik Asheim and Arne Nordheim) on BIS Records.
Für das Album Lament (Werke von Lars Petter Hagen, Nils Henrik Asheim und Arne Nordheim) bei BIS Records wurden Grete Pedersen und der Norwegian Soloists' Choir mit dem renommierten Spellermann Prize ausgezeichnet.
Grete Pedersen conducted the world premiere of Bent Sorensen's Matthew Passion with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria at Oslo Church Music Festival on 12 March. NRK Klassiek broadcasts the recording on 1 April, 19:30-21:00. <link https: radio.nrk.no serie paa-konsert-radio sesong mkkl16001321>
radio.nrk.no/serie/paa-konsert-radio/sesong/202104/MKKL16001321
Grete Pedersen dirigierte mit dem Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Ensemble Allegria die Uraufführung von Bent Sorensens Matthäus Passion beim Oslo Church Music Festival am 12. März. NRK Klassiek sendet den Mitschnitt am 1. April, 19:30-21:00. <link https: radio.nrk.no serie paa-konsert-radio sesong mkkl16001321>
radio.nrk.no/serie/paa-konsert-radio/sesong/202104/MKKL16001321
View a video of Grete Pedersen, The Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria with Mozart: Requiem: Kyrie & Dies irae: <link https: www.youtube.com _blank>
Sehen Sie hier ein Video von Grete Pedersen, The Norwegian Soloists' Choir und Ensemble Allegria mit
Mozart: Requiem: Kyrie & Dies irae: <link https: www.youtube.com>
Read moreGrete Pedersen conducts the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra on 5 and 6 November with music by Charles Ives, Henry Purcell, Haydn, Nils Henrik Asheim as well as
Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms together with The Norwegian Soloists' Choir.
Read moreGrete Pedersen dirigiert das Stavanger Symphony Orchestra am 5./6. November mit Werken von Charles Ives, Henry Purcell, Haydn, Nils Henrik Asheim sowie
Leonard Bernsteins Chichester Psalms zusammen mit The Norwegian Soloists' Choir.
Read moreGrete Pedersen's new album by Luciano Berio: Coro with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Norwegian Radio Orchestra with BIS Records has received the Diapason d'or of the year 2020 in the category choral music.
Grete Pedersens neues Album von Luciano Berio: Coro mit dem Norwegian Soloists' Choir und Norwegian Radio Orchestra bei BIS Records wurde mit dem Diapason d'or des Jahres 2020 in der Kategorie Chormusik ausgezeichnet.
Sehen Sie Grete Pedersen und den Norwegian Soloists' Choir im livestream video für Bergen International Festival
2020 aus der Trefoldighetskirken Oslo mit dem Programm Hymn to freedom (J.S. Bach, Francis Poulenc und Edvard Grieg): <link https: www.facebook.com solistkoret videos _blank>
(verfügbar bis 30.11.2020) Read moreSee Grete Pedersen and the Norwegian Soloists' Choir in a livestream video for Bergen International Festival 2020
from Trefoldighetskirken Oslo with the programme Hymn to freedom (J.S. Bach, Francis Poulenc and Edvard Grieg): <link https: www.facebook.com solistkoret videos>
(available until 30 November 2020) Read moreGrete Pedersen conducts on 11 April, 19:00 (CET) Brahms: A German Requiem with The Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Ensemble Allegria, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble,
Camilla Tilling and Markus Eiche online (concert November 2019): <link https: www.youtube.com channel uc96oprjjbxweqnb2k2mup6a _blank>
Read moreGrete Pedersen dirigiert am 11. April, 19:00 online das Brahms' Requiem mit dem Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Ensemble Allegria, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble,
Camilla Tilling und Markus Eiche (Konzert November 2019): <link https: www.youtube.com channel uc96oprjjbxweqnb2k2mup6a>
Read moreBIS Records has released a further album with Grete Pedersen, The Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Norwegian Radio Orchestra: Luciano Berio Coro and Cries of London
. <link bis.se/performers/norwegian-soloists-choir-the/luciano-berio-coro _blank>bis.se/performers/norwegian-soloists-choir-the/luciano-berio-coro </link>
Listen to the recording: <link naxos.lnk.to/BerioEL _blank>naxos.lnk.to/BerioEL</link>
BIS Records hat ein weiteres Album mit Grete Pedersen, The Norwegian Soloists' Choir und Norwegian Radio Orchestra veröffentlicht: Luciano Berio: Coro und Cries of London
, bis.se/performers/norwegian-soloists-choir-the/luciano-berio-coro
Hören Sie hier die Aufnahme: https://naxos.lnk.to/BerioEL
Grete Pedersen directs the Danish Radio Vocal Ensemble in three concerts in Copenhagen, Billund and Randers on 24, 25 and 26 January with music by Daniel Lesur, Claudio Monteverdi, Alfred Jansen, Edvard Grieg and Torbjorn Dyrud.
Grete Pedersen leitet das Danish Radio Vocal Ensemble in drei Konzerten am 24., 25. und 26. Januar in Kopenhagen, Billund und Randers. Auf dem Programm stehen Werke von Daniel Lesur, Claudio Monteverdi, Alfred Jansen, Edvard Grieg und Torbjorn Dyrud.
Bent Sorensen: St Matthew Passion
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Ensemble Allegria
BIS Records (2023)
Lars Petter Hagen, Nils Henrik Asheim and Arne Nordheim
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Ensemble Allegria
BIS Records (2020)
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
BIS Records (2020)
Alfred Janson
Helmut Lachenmann
Per Nörgård (Nørgård)
Kaija Saariaho
The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
Oslo Sinfonietta
BIS Records (2016)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Knut Nystedt
The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
Ensemble Allegria
BIS Records (2015)
Ola O. Fagerheim
Hildegard of Bingen
Gustaf Nordquist
Per Nörgård (Nørgård)
Michael Praeto
The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
BIS Records (2013)
Edvard Grieg
The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
BIS Records (2007)
Alfred Janson
Nils Lindberg
Sven-Eric Johanson
Frank Martin
Sören Barfoed
Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Hakon Berge
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Simax (2006)
Folk music
Oslo Kammerkor
Musikk (1999)