Bente Johnsrud is the festival director and artistic leader for Oslo International Church Music Festival, which she initiated and founded in 2000. Prior to this, she was the director of Oslo Cathedral Choir in Oslo Cathedral for 7 years. Johnsrud holds a Master of Arts from City University of London. In 2007 she was awarded the Oslo City Art Award. In 2012 she was awarded the Spanish Order of Civil Merit – Orden del Mérito Civil — for her work with Spanish cultural projects, and in 2022 she was awarded the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her work with French cultural projects during the festival.

Since the beginning in 2001, Oslo International Church Music Festival has established itself as a national and international conveyor of artistic projects of high quality. The festival is an important contributor to quality and diversity, and is today one of Norway´s biggest conveyors of church music within most genres and periods. The Festival has presented about 140 contemporary music world premiers. Every year, the musical program is set into larger contexts where it sheds light on contemporary social issues such as climate change, slavery, refugees, discrimination, alienation and integration, freedom of religion, human rights and women’s role and place in music.

Contact:

Festival and artistic director
Bente Johnsrud
Mobile: (+47) 924 22 714
Tlf: (+47) 22 41 81 15
bente.johnsrud(a)kirkemusikkfestivalen.no