Ola Gjeilo

Norwegian-born and Manhattan-based pianist and composer Ola Gjeilo was born on May 5, 1978 in Skui, Bærum. He is best-known as a composer of classical crossover choral works such as Sunrise Mass, Dreamweaver, and The River. As a child, he learned how to play piano and then moved on to composing his own music. He studied under fellow Norwegian pianist and composer Wolfang Plagge before continuing his studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music, the Juilliard School in New York (2001), and the Royal College of Music in London, where he graduated with a master’s degree in 2006. He also spent time as composer-in-residence with the Phoenix Chorale. He then began working with the Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) as composer-in-residence. His catalog includes choral work – Northern Lights (2012) and Winter Songs (2017) – and his compositions for piano, which includes 2007’s Stone Rose and his 2020 releases, Night and Seasons (EP). His 2016 collection, Ola Gjeilo: Voices, Piano, Strings reached Number 6 on the Billboard Classical chart.