Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening

 The Women’s Choral Society of the University of Oslo (Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening — KSS) was founded in 1895 and is the official female choir of the University of Oslo. As the world’s oldest academic choir for women, it can look back on 128 years and the creation of traditions that are still alive today. The choir has played an important role for the university and for the feminist movement, whilst at the same time securing its place in music history through its musical accomplishments and premiere performances of works for female choir.
  KSS is an organisation with lofty ambitions and a high level of achievement. In 2006 the choir was awarded First Prize for female choirs at the Musica Mundi International Competition in Riva del Garda, Italy. In 2015 and 2019 the choir participated in the European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations in Magdeburg and Gothenburg, respectively, and emerged victorious both times in the category “Folklore” and in “Open Competition”. These accomplishments have led to KSS’s ranking since 2015 as the world’s best female choir by the music organisation Interkultur, in addition to a third place in “Folklore” and a 21st place independent of class (as of 2023). During the Tolosa Choral Contest in Basque Country, Spain in 2017, KSS achieved a second place in the category “Folklore”, and in the spring of 2019 the choir won a third place in the prestigious Fleischmann International Trophy Competition in Cork, Ireland.
  Magnificat is the choir’s sixth release on the LAWO Classics label, all under the direction of conductor Marit Tøndel Bodsberg Weyde. The Christmas album Arme jord ha jolefred (LWC1009) came first in 2009, and the associated music video Folkefrelsar won a second place in the European Choral Video Awards in 2012. Brahms (LWC1054), a selection of Johannes Brahms’s compositions for female choir, was released in 2013, followed by Kom regn (LWC1134), a collection of Norwegian contemporary music, in 2017, and, one year later, Som den gylne sol frembryter (LWC1144), featuring Norwegian National Romantic music and traditional folk music. The choir’s second Christmas album, Stille som sne (LWC1209), was released in 2020 to good reviews, including a rating ‘6’ (of 6) by ‘NRK Klassisk’ (The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s classical music station). “Wow, this is a true gem! Stille som sne is without a doubt this year’s best Christmas album.” (Eystein Sandvik, 30 November 2020)