Ståle Kleiberg

Ståle Kleiberg is a Professor at the Department of Music at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He is a major Norwegian composer with a considerable international reputation, whose works are widely performed in Norway and abroad, often commissioned by well-established orchestras, ensembles, and performers. His music has been published on eight albums that have received outstanding international reviews.

Kleiberg's music is characterized by a highly distinctive form of extended tonality and meticulous attention to coloristic details, particularly evident in his orchestral works such as his first symphony, The Bell Reef, and his Violin Concerto. He has created significant large-scale works in oratorio and opera formats, including Mass for Modern Man (premiered in Nidaros Cathedral and Münchner Dom in 2015), David and Bathsheba (premiered in Nidaros Cathedral in 2008), and Requiem – for the victims of Nazi persecution (performed in Washington National Cathedral on September 11, 2004).

His innovative approach, formal command, and technical mastery are particularly apparent in his extensive chamber music oeuvre, with a selection of six chamber works published in 2015 on the album Mezzotints – Chamber Music by Ståle Kleiberg. Kleiberg's Requiem forms the principal work in a trilogy dealing with victims of Nazi persecution, alongside the orchestral work Lamento: Cissi Klein in memoriam and the cello concerto Dopo. His recent compositions demonstrate continued exploration across multiple formats including concertos for various instruments, chamber music, and large-scale vocal works, showing consistent development of his distinctive compositional voice.

• Grammy nomination for Treble and Bass: Concertos by Ståle Kleiberg
• Grammy nomination for recording of David and Bathsheba

Professor Kleiberg has supervised numerous master's theses at NTNU across diverse areas of music scholarship including composition techniques, music history, and music education. His academic work complements his compositional practice, particularly in areas related to Norwegian music history. His influence extends through both his compositions, which continue to be performed internationally, and through his academic role at NTNU where he shapes musical education in Norway.