Ola Gjeilo was born in 1978 in Skui, Norway. Rumor has it that he began playing the piano and composing when he was five years old.
Currently, Gjeilo is one of the most frequently performed composers in the choral world. An accomplished pianist, improvisations over his own published choral pieces have become a trademark of his collaborations across the world. Although Norwegian by birth, it is perhaps Ola’s adopted country of America that has influenced the composer's distinctive soundworld the most, evolving a style that is both contemporary and familiar; thick harmonies and rich textures recall film score - music that forms a major part of the composer's inspiration.
His choral music has been recorded by several notable ensembles such as the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, The Choir of Royal Holloway, the Flemish Radio Choir, and Voces8. Gjeilo is composer-in-residence for the ensemble Voces8 and the Distinguished Concerts International New York.
