Vivianne Sydnes

Vivianne Sydnes is Cantor (choirmaster) at Oslo Cathedral and artistic director of Oslo Cathedral Choir. She regularly directs both unaccompanied choral repertoire and large-scale compositions for choir and orchestra, and has given world premieres of compositions by Lasse Thoresen, Torbjørn Dyrud, Andrew Smith, B. Morten Christophersen, and Gisle Kverndokk among others. Her work with the choir has enhanced the choir’s reputation and position in the musical life of Norway, and she is involved in developing the Church of Norway’s cultural and liturgical programme.
Sydnes is a Professor of Choral Conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. She is responsible for the undergraduate programme in Choral Conducting at the Academy and teaches students on the Church Music programme. She has also developed a free web-based educational resource for choral conductors, accessible at vivianne.no. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Church Music from the Norwegian Academy of Music and a Master’s diploma in Choral Conducting from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Between 2002 and 2012 Sydnes was Cantor at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and has previously conducted Oslo-based chamber choir Kammerkoret NOVA and the Norwegian National Youth Choir. She is regularly engaged as a guest conductor by choirs in Norway, including the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, and elsewhere in Europe.
Sydnes has directed several recordings, including Nidaros Cathedral Choir’s recording of “Out of Darkness” by Tor-bjørn Dyrud, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2014 in the category ‘Best Choral Performance’.
A dedicated and admired conductor, Sydnes is widely recognised for her ability to bring out the best in singers. She is well known for her insightful engagement with the music and for her powerful performances that remain in the memories of students, performers, and audiences alike.