Famous Norwegian Composers

Thomas Bergersen is a Norwegian composer and multi-instrumentalist best known as the co-founder of an American production music company called Two Steps From Hell. A self-taught composer, Bergersen's compositions have featured in several motion picture campaigns including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter, and Avatar. 

Norwegian singer Per Fredrik Åsly, better known by his stage name, PelleK, has been associated with groups such as Damnation Angels and Qantice. He also has his own band, PelleK. He is extremely popular on YouTube, too, and has appeared in the film Creators: The Past and the popular series Vikings.

Norwegian-born American composer Ola Gjeilo was educated at the prestigious Juilliard School and the Royal College of Music. Starting his piano training at age 5, he later soared to fame with his piano albums such as Night and Ola Gjeilo. The Decca Classics artist is now associated with Albany Pro Musica and DCINY.

Legendary Norwegian violinist Ole Bull had started training in the violin at age 5. He had his own style of playing multiple tones at once. He later developed a colony of his own in Pennsylvania and named it New Norway, also known as the Ole Bull Colony.

Legendary Norwegian violinist, composer, and conductor Johan Halvorsen had been a music professor, initially. He was also associated with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and later served as the director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. He had also conducted operas, while Bojarenes Inntogsmarsj and Bergensiana remain two of his best orchestral works.

Award-winning Norwegian jazz musician, guitarist, and composer Terje Rypdal had already learned the piano, the guitar, and the trumpet by age 12. Named the tone poet of the Fender Stratocaster, he launched the psychedelic rock band Dream. His album Odyssey was a hallmark of jazz-rock fusion.

Best known for writing tracks such as Girls Girls Girls and A Glass of Champagne as part of the British band Sailor, Norwegian composer and musician Georg Kajanus is a descendant of Finnish composer Robert Kajanus. He has previously been part of the folk-rock band Eclection.

Legendary Norwegian composer Rikard Nordraak was a child when he began composing music. Best known for composing his country’s national anthem, Ja, vi elsker dette landet, he was also part of the New Norwegian Society and the nationalistic art movement in Norway. Folk music inspired many of his compositions.

A legendary figure of Norwegian music, Arne Nordheim was one of the first composers from his country to step into post-war modernism. He composed for the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games and was also awarded with the Nordic Council Music Prize, among other awards.

Marcus Paus is one of the most performed composers from Scandinavia. The son of legendary singer Ole Paus and pop star Anne-Karine Strøm, he was destined to make a career in music. Known for his chamber music, concertos, operas, and orchestral works, he has also composed for film, TV, and theater.