Marit Tøndel Bodsberg

Marit Tøndel Bodsberg (1981) was hired as the principal conductor for The Women’s Choral Society of the University of Oslo (KSS) in 2009, after being a substitute conductor for the choir since the autumn of 2008. Marit was born and raised in Byneset in Trøndelag, Norway. She has a BA from the Music Conservatory of Kristiansand, where she majored in composing, song and the flute. In 2005 she was accepted, as the only student, into the Master’s program for conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where she completed her studies in the spring of 2008. During these years she also worked as the assistant of Grete Pedersen in Det Norske Solistkor. In addition, Marit has a postgraduate degree in church music from the Norwegian Academy of Music.

She has worked with several of Norway’s preeminent choirs and ensembles, such as Det Norske Solistkor, Vocal Art, Oslo Kammerkor, Oslo domkor, Ringsakeroperaen, Mjøsmusikk, Ensemble 96, and other composite choirs and orchestras. In addition to her position as artistic director and conductor for KSS, she holds the same position for Vestoppland Kammerkor and Den norske Studentersangforening (DnS). From 2020-2023 she will also hold a position as artistic director and conductor for Kilden Vokalensemble, the professional choir associated with Kilden Konserthus.

Marit is Assistant Professor in conducting at NLA Høgskolen (Music College) and the Norwegian Academy of Music, and she is an instructor in the Talent Development Program associated with the University in Agder. As part of the Norwegian Choir Association, among others, Marit directs and arranges seminars, workshops and master classes, both for singers and conductors. She has also contributed as a jury member in several choir competitions, such as the Norwegian Championship for Choirs in 2015 and 2017, and Corfu International Choir Competition in 2018.

Marit has contributed to a number of recordings both as a singer, conductor and a flutist. As a conductor, she led the KSS album recordings of “Arme jord ha jolefred” (LWC1009, 2009), “Brahms” (LWC1054, 2013), “Kom regn” (LWC1134, 2017), and “Som den gylne sol frembryter” (LWC1144, 2018), all of which have received great reviews.

As a conductor, Marit has won several national and international competitions with her choirs. In 2015, she led KSS to victory in two categories during European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations. In 2019, Marit and KSS defended this victory, and won both categories (Folklore and Adult Choir) once more. KSS holds therefore still the no. 1 position on the INTERKULTUR ranking of female choirs. In 2019, Marit also led KSS to a 3rd place in the prestigious Fleischmann International Trophy Competition in Cork, Ireland, and won the Norwegian Championship for Choirs with DnS. In 2017, she and KSS came second in the category Folklore during a choir competition in Tolosa.

For her achievements as a conductor, Marit has received several awards. In 2012, she was awarded a price during the Norwegian Championship for Choir, based on her achievements with KSS during the choir’s performance in the competition. She also received a conductor price in 2015, when she competed with Vestoppland Kammerkor in the choir competition Canta Al Mar in Barcelona, and in 2017, during the Anton Bruckner Competition in Linz, where she together with DnS also came first in two categories. She has also received several conductor awards, both in Europe and in Norway. In spring 2023, she won the prize for Best Conductor at the International Baltic Sea Choir Competition.