Kim André Arnesen

Kim André Arnesen was educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim, Norway. He had composition lessons with composers like Henning Sommerro, Terje Bjørklund and Odd Johan Overøye. As a composer he had his first performance in 1999 with Nidaros Cathedral Boys' Choir. Since then he has written music that has been performed by several choirs. Arnesen is an elected member of the Norwegian Society of Composers. In 2010, his first large-scale work was performed in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. This was a Magnificat commissioned by the Nidaros Cathedral’s Girls Choir. This performance received overwhelming feedback, leading directly to several new commissions. The work was released on 2L in 2014 and the album was nominated for GRAMMY Awards 2016 in the category Best Surround Sound Album. In 2011 his choral motet Even when He is silent had its premiere during the St. Olav Festival (Olavsfestdagene) in Trondheim. The motet was commissioned by the festival and was performed during an event with the bishop of Nidaros, Tor Singsaas and the international acclaimed Norwegian actress, Liv Ullmann. The piece has gained wide attention and is being performed by choirs all over the world. In December 2011, his second large-scale work was premiered. This was a Christmas work commissioned by the Trondheim Chamber Choir. In 2013 his pieces Even when He is silent and Cradle Hymn was released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray on the "Christmas in Norway" with the St. Olaf Choir and Nidaros Cathedral Girls' Choir. In April 2014 his Requiem was premiered by the Nidaros Cathedral Boy’s Choir. Later in 2014 his Magnificat was released on CD/Blu-ray on the label 2L. He has produced a number of works with the Welsh-Scots poet Euan Tait, including the widely performed "Flight Song" (2014), "You asked me to speak" (a companion piece for "Even When He is Silent"), "Love's Onward Journey", "The Call of Peace", "Child of Song" (all 2015) and a new five movement Christmas work, "The Christmas Alleluias" (2015). In 2016 a large scale work called "The Wound in the Water," was premiered by the GRAMMY-winning ensemble Conspirare (libretto, Euan Tait), and has since been performed across the United States. Three major new works have followed: "Holy Spirit Mass", for the National Lutheran Choir and first performed in Washington DC in October 2017; "Sing the Earth" (Southwestern University Singers and Festival Mass Choir, 2018 Southwestern Music Festival, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas. Jonathan E. L. Wall, director); "Tuvayhun - Beatitudes for a Wounded World" (Premiere in NYC, April 2018, Manhattan Girls' Chorus, dir. Michelle Oesterle). The two latter works, in which the composer has explored new instrumental sonorities, have texts by American lyricist Charles Anthony 'Tony' Silvestri. January 2018 also saw the release of a Naxos recording of his shorter choral works.

Kim André Arnesen (born 28 November 1980) is a Norwegian composer. He is mostly known for his choral compositions, both a cappella, accompanied by piano or organ, or large-scale works for chorus and orchestra. His first CD album "Magnificat" was nominated for Grammy Awards 2016 in the category Best Surround Sound Album. He has received wide notice with his choral works that has been performed by choirs all over the world. His "Cradle Hymn" was a part of the regional Emmy Prize winning show "Christmas in Norway". Arnesen is an elected member of the Norwegian Society of Composers.