Kjetil Almenning

 Kjetil Almenning (b. 1979) grew up in Gloppen in Nordfjord, on the west coast of Norway. He finished his Bachelor's degree in church music at the State Academy of Music in Oslo in 2003. June 2007 Almenning recieved his Postgraduate Diploma in Choral Conducting at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Almenning is currently Choir Master of Bergen Cathedral and conducts the Bergen Cathedral Choir. 2009 Almenning won the international competition for young choral conductors, the Eric Ericson Award. Almenning was artistic leader and conductor of the chamber choir Ensemble 96 in Oslo 2007-2010. The CD "Kind", containing new nordic music for choir as well as norwegian folk music, was released autum 2010 on the label 2L. The album is Grammy Nominated for "Best Choral Performance" in 2011. Almenning lead the Norwegian vocal ensemble Ginnungagap from 2001 until 2005. The group toured both home and abroad under the direction of Almenning, and was considered to be one of the finest and most interesting new choirs in Norway. The recording "We know not where the dragons fly", was well received by both audience and critics. New music for voices is somewhat of a main interest for Almenning. Together with Ginnungagap, Ensemble 96 and now Bergen Cathedral Choir he has been seeking out unknown contemporary music for choir. It is always a goal to combine new music with more traditional repertoir into interesting programs. Almenning conducted Vestoppland Chamber Choir from 2003 until 2005, releasing the CD "Fryd" in the spring of 2004. He was assistant conductor of the World Youth Choir during the winter session 2003, and led the Norwegian Youth Choir in both 2004 and 2005. He has conducted The Norwegian Soloists Choir, The Swedish Radio Choir, Vocal Art and others in various projects. As a conducter, and as a singer, Almenning has worked with such ensembles as the Norwegian Soloists Choir, the Barents International Chamber Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, the Swedish Radio Choir, Jacobs Kammarkör, The Adur Vocal Ensemble in Spain and numerous others.