Ola Gjeilo

Ola Gjeilo is one of the most frequently performed composers in the choral world. An accomplished pianist, his improvisations on his own published choral works have become a hallmark of his collaborations. Although born in Norway, it is the distinctive sound world of his adopted home, America, that has most influenced the composer, yielding a style often described as cinematic and evocative, with a lush, harmonious sound. Ola grew up in a musically eclectic home, listening to classical, jazz, pop, and folk music. He later incorporated this broad background into his classical composition studies at the Juilliard School and the Royal College of Music in London, and today works as a freelance composer in New York City. He is particularly inspired by the improvisational art of film composer Thomas Newman, jazz legends Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and architect Frank Gehry. Ola is an exclusive artist with Decca Classics. His Decca albums include Ola Gjeilo and Winter Songs, featuring Tenebrae, Voces8, and the Choir of Royal Holloway, as well as the solo piano album Night. The recordings are available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and all major platforms. In 2015, the Choir of King’s College Cambridge performed Ola’s Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium) at the annual BBC-broadcast Christmas Eve service. He is currently Composer-in-Residence at DCINY.