Grete Pedersen Conductor Generalmanagement

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir & Carmel Bach Festival

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.

In 2023, she was part of The Nordic Choir Expedition project with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, performing music by Werle, Strauss, Taube, Janson, Melläs, Nyström, Martland and Eriksson. Further highlights were engagements with Rundfunkchor Berlin, Slovenian Philharmonic & Choir (Brahms: Requiem) and concerts with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir at the festivals in Sion and Merano as well as her engagements at the Carmel Festival 2023 with Mahler: Symphony No. 4, Karin Rehnqvist: Breaking the Ice from Arktis Arktis and Haydn: Creation and others.

In the 2024/25 season Grete Pedersen follows invitations to Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra San Francisco, Helsingborg Symphony & Choir and Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra with a commissioned work by Ørjan Matre. Highlights of her last season with the Norwegian Soloists' Choir will be Beethoven: Missa solemnis, Bach: Christmas Oratorio and Julia Wolfe: Oratorio Fire in my Mouth for women's choir, children's choir and orchestra.

Grete Pedersen is a sought-after guest conductor and has worked with all prestigious European choirs. She has performed oratorios with leading Norwegian orchestras as well as with Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic, Yale Camerata, and Gulbenkian Orchestra & Choir.

Educated as a church musician at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Grete Pedersen has been part of the historically informed performance movement since the early 1980s and has worked with the Freiburger Barockorchester, Oslo Bach Ensemble, Norwegian Barokkanerne, Barokksolistene and the Drottningholm Barokkensemble, among others.

Grete Pedersen's name stands for productions and stagings with a broad and innovative variety of styles. She has set new standards with her interpretation of early and contemporary music. In the contemporary scene, Grete Pedersen is known as a fearless advocate of new music and she has comissioned and performed numerous pieces by leading composers.

BIS Records has released numerous award-winning recordings with the Norwegian Soloists Choir and 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 has been 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. The latest album release was in 2023 with Bent Sorensen: Matthew Passion with Ensemble Allegria and The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir.

In 1984, Grete Pedersen founded the Oslo Chamber Choir and worked with them for 20 years particularly with oratorio repertoire and contemporary music. She completed her postgraduate studies in conducting at the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo and studied choral conducting with Eric Ericson and orchestral conducting with Kenneth Kiesler.
She teaches as a professor in conducting at the Norwegian State Academy of Music since 1996 and is a sought-after teacher for masterclasses.

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.


Season 2024/25

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News/Info

Grete Pedersen: Gramophone Critics Choice: favourite album 2023

Grete Pedersen's album of Bent Sorensen: St Matthew Passion with The Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria for BIS has been voted as one of the favourite classical recordings of 2023 by Gramophone Critics Choice.

Grete Pedersen conducts Rundfunkchor Berlin

Grete Pedersen conducts the Rundfunkchor Berlin and instrumentalists in Berlin on 22 December 2023 in a christmas programme with Giovanni Gabrieli, Thomas Tallis, Ottorino Respighi, Anton Bruckner, Orjan Matre, Gustaf Nordqvist and Arnold Schönberg.

Grete Pedersen conducts The Norwegian Soloists Choir on tour

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 Pedersen: Editor's Choice of the month for Sorensen album

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 & The Norwegian Soloists' Choir in Sion und Meran

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 at Carmel Bach Festival California

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 conducts The Norwegian Soloists' Choir in Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen

Grete 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.

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Grete Pedersen conducts NDR Vokalensemble Hamburg

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 at rostrum of Slovenian Philharmonic

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 with Chorwerk Ruhr

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 conducts world premiere of Karin Rehnqvist

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 is appointed as Artistic Director Carmel Bach Festival USA

Grete 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 at Davos Festival

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 at Carmel Bach Festival in California

Grete 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 Dunedin Consort

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 & The Norwegian Solists' Choir at chor.com Hannover

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.

Spellermann Prize for Grete Pedersen & The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

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.

Grete Pedersen conducts world premiere of Bent Sorensen: Matthew Passion

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: Mozart video

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>

www.youtube.com/watch

Grete Pedersen at rostrum of Stavanger Symphony

Grete 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.

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Grete Pedersen: Diapason d'or for Berio album

Grete 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 Pedersen & The Norwegian Soloists' Choir: video Bergen International Festival

See 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>

www.facebook.com/Solistkoret/videos/279488200087124/

(available until 30 November 2020) Read more

Grete Pedersen conducts Brahms: A German Requiem

Grete 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>

www.youtube.com/channel/UC96opRjjbxWEQNb2k2mUP6A

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New Album of Grete Pedersen: Luciano Berio

BIS 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>

Grete Pedersen directs DR Vocal Ensemble

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.

Press

  • Pedersen’s first season at Carmel Bach Festival California

    Haydn's Creation displayed Pedersen's skill and inventiveness in leading large-scale choral works. She is a grand master of interpolation, the art of incorporating something of a different nature into an established work.[...] Pedersen seems poised to take patrons on unique journeys in the coming years, putting Bach at the center while opening our ears through her fresh and enlightening conceptions: Diamonds on Bach!

    Monterey Herald, CA, Barbara Shuler, 26.07.2023

  • Grete Pedersen with Dunedin Consort

    The most magical thing on the programme, however, came in a series of Scottish and Norwegian folk songs at the end, sung by the choir dispersed around the church with Pedersen conducting in the middle. [...] The music seemed gently to emerge from every corner of Greyfriars Kirk at once, Pedersen conducting as though she was weaving an improvisation out of thin air, with subtle vocalisations creating a spellbinding sound, especially in James MacMillan’s setting of Rabbie Burns’s The Gallant Weaver.

    seenandheard-international.com, Simon Thompson, 17.10.2021

  • Grete Pedersen & The Norwegian Soloists' Choir at chor.com Hannover

    The performance of the Norwegian Soloists ‘Choir was a vocal highlight. […] The concert of Grete Pedersen and her singers was able to provide some answers to the question of what can be learned from choral music in the Scandinavian countries. The mixture of traditional Norwegian music and new music offered points of contact and inspiration for the audience at the same time. This is how a repertoire can be renewed [...] This creates a spirit of optimism in the scene.

    Hannoversche Allgemeine, Stefan Arndt, 27.09.2021

  • Album Luciano Berio: Coro with Norwegian Soloists' Choir

    Two features stand out in Coro: first, its tendency to put a revealing slant on Berio’s particular form of expressionism by keeping it all-of a-piece – a single canvas; second, its prioritising of the composer’s interest in merging instruments and voices to the point where on occasion neither is identifiable as one or the other.[…] Grete Pedersen achieves both through judicious matching of individual voices to each other and to instruments.[…] Every time this excellent choir issues a new recording you wonder what will come next.

    Gramophone, Andrew Mellor, 6/2020

  • New Music Dublin Festival

    The final early evening concert of New Music Dublin festival, given at St Ann’s Church by Chamber Choir Ireland under, was at once a sheerly beautiful immersion in choral sonority – the most gorgeous singing I’ve heard from the choir in quite some time – and a mainstreaming of those unorthodox vocal techniques that composers began exploring in the 1950s and 1960s.

    The Irish Times, Michael Dervan, 3/2019

  • Album Alfred Janson: The winds blows (BIS Records)

    The performance here demonstrates the extra levels of finesse Grete Pedersen has cultivated in her ensemble in the past decade. Construction (after the composer’s signature work, Construction and Hymn for Orchestra, 1963) tells you why the choir is named The Norwegian Soloist’s Choir. As usual, blend is exquisite, intonation perfect and articulation superlative.

    Gramophone, Andrew Mellor, 10/2018

  • CD: J.S. Bach Motets

    Typically Nordic, the choir’s sound is clear, light and precise, with a sound that finds a happy medium between choral blend and the expressive frisson that arises from occasionally being aware of individual voices (...). Pedersen’s firm concept of the work’s progress is exemplified by a bold but grounded ‘Trotz’ section that travels swiftly but smoothly from defiance to calm confidence – the latter being a term which might indeed be used as a general characterisation of these charming and accomplished performances.

    Gramophone, Lindsay Kemp, 4/2018

    The opening of Komm, Jesu, komm entices. The antiphonal pleas are so lovingly shaped and delectably blended it’s impossible not to surrender. But does beauty of sound and ‘finish’ become an end in itself?...A real tour de force!

    BBC Music Magazine, 4/2018

    This is an outstanding disc of outstanding music. They get to the heart of these magnificent works in what feels a completely natural way, without any of the sense of over-interpretation that can detract. In addition to the standard six motets, Pedersen includes O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (BWV 118), in which Ensemble Allegria’s oboes find an appropriately mournful yet sinuous tone.

    Choir & Organ, 3/2018

  • Grete Pedersen with Bavarian Radio Choir

    Grete Pedersen was the real discovery: with an enormous charisma, she not only received enthusiastic approval from the audience in the "Nordic Sounds" programme but also from the Choir of the Bavarian Radio.

    Münchner Merkur, Anna Schürmer, 04.05.2015

  • CD Refractions: Berg/Messiaen/Valen/Webern


    In resonant but clearly defined sound, Grete Pedersen and the Norwegian Soloists‘ Choir bring a marvellous mixture of earthiness and refinement to Messiaen’s vivid score.

    Gramophone, Arnold Whittall, 5/2013

  • Grete Pedersen beim Dunedin Consort

    Das Magischste auf dem Programm war jedoch am Ende eine Reihe von schottischen und norwegischen Volksliedern, gesungen vom Chor, der in der Kirche verstreut war, wobei Pedersen in der Mitte dirigierte. [...] Die Musik schien sanft aus jeder Ecke von Greyfriars Kirk gleichzeitig zu kommen, Pedersen dirigierte, als würde sie eine Improvisation aus dem Nichts weben, wobei subtile Vokalisationen einen faszinierenden Klang erzeugten, besonders in James MacMillans Vertonung von Rabbie Burns’ The Gallant Weaver.

    seenandheard-international.com, Simon Thompson, 17.10.2021

  • Grete Pedersen & The Norwegian Soloists' Choir bei chor.com Hannover

    Der Auftritt des Norwegian Soloists‘ Choir war eine vokale Sternstunde. […] Das Konzert von Grete Pedersen und ihren Chorsolisten konnte einige Antworten zur Frage, was man von Chormusik in den skandinavischen Ländern lernen kann, liefern. Die Mischung aus traditioneller norwegischer Musik und neuesten Klängen bot gleichzeitig Anknüpfungspunkte und Anregungen für das Publikum. So lässt sich ein Repertoire erneuern […] Dies sorgt für eine Aufbruchstimmung in der Szene.

    Hannoversche Allgemeine, Stefan Arndt, 27.09.2021

Discography

Bent Sorensen: St Matthew Passion

Bent Sorensen: St Matthew Passion
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Ensemble Allegria
BIS Records (2023)

Lament

Lars Petter Hagen, Nils Henrik Asheim and Arne Nordheim

The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Ensemble Allegria
BIS Records (2020)

Luciano Berio: Coro

The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Norwegian Radio Orchestra

BIS Records (2020)

Alfred Janson: the wind blows The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

BIS Records (2018)
J.S. Bach The Motets The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Ensemble Allegria

BIS Records (2017)

As dreams

Alfred Janson
Helmut Lachenmann
Per Nörgård (Nørgård)
Kaija Saariaho

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
Oslo Sinfonietta

BIS Records (2016)

Nystedt / J.S. Bach - Meins Lebens Licht

Johann Sebastian Bach
Knut Nystedt

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
Ensemble Allegria

BIS Records (2015)

Songs of Christmas

Ola O. Fagerheim
Hildegard of Bingen
Gustaf Nordquist
Per Nörgård (Nørgård)
Michael Praeto

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir

BIS Records (2013)

Refractions: Choral works by Berg, Webern, Valen & Messiaen Alban Berg, Olivier Messiaen,
Fartein Valen, Anton Webern

Berit Norbakken Solset
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

BIS Records (2013)
White Night: Impressions of Norwegian Folk Music Eivind Buene
Eivind Groven
Gjermund Larsen
Traditional

Gjermund Larsen
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

BIS Records (2011)
Im Herbst: Choral works by Brahms and Schubert Johannes Brahms
Franz Schubert
Ingrid Andsnes, Madelene Berg,
Öystein Birkeland, Catherine Bullock,
Kåre Nordstoga, The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir,
Ole Eirik
BIS Records (2011)
Edvard Grieg: Choir music

Edvard Grieg

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir

BIS Records (2007)

Telling what is told

Alfred Janson
Nils Lindberg
Sven-Eric Johanson
Frank Martin
Sören Barfoed
Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Hakon Berge

The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

Simax (2006)

Bergtatt

Folk music

Oslo Kammerkor

Musikk (1999)