Norway Concert Tour

Dr. Chung Park, conductor
with the Oslo Kammerkor

Oslo, Larvik, Hamar, Bergen, Nordfjordeid & Trondheim
May 26 – June 10, 2025

Performing a program including a rich blend of Norwegian heritage,
timeless classics, and modern works.

Join the St. Olaf Orchestra on their concert tour through Norway, celebrating two historic milestones: the 200th anniversary of the first organized migration from Norway to North America, and the 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Olaf College.

Under the direction of Dr. Chung Park, the orchestra will perform in iconic venues across Oslo, Larvik, Hamar, Bergen, Nordfjordeid, and Trondheim, bringing their extraordinary artistry to audiences across Norway.  The award-winning Oslo Kammerkor will join the orchestra in Olso, Larvik and Hamar for a collaboration of Norwegian and American artistry.

This program intertwines Norwegian cultural roots with masterworks of the orchestral tradition, showcasing the St. Olaf Orchestra’s versatility and profound musicality. Experience the magic of music that transcends borders and generations during this celebratory journey through Norway.

The St. Olaf Orchestra, conducted by Chung Park, is a full symphony orchestra, rich in international artistry and tradition, and known for its enthusiastic and passionate performances. Founded in 1906 at St. Olaf College, the 90-member ensemble has been heralded as one of the best collegiate orchestras in the country, and received the 2013 and 2018–19 American Prize in Orchestral Performance among colleges and universities.

Often compared to professional orchestras, the St. Olaf Orchestra was heralded as one of the best collegiate orchestras by TIME magazine. The St. Olaf Orchestra first toured in 1949, traveling through Minnesota and Iowa to encourage the development of high school string programs. Over the next several decades, the orchestra program grew and flourished. They have toured most of the United States, internationally throughout Europe, and to China, Argentina, and Uruguay. They have also performed with world-renowned conductors and artist-performers including Robert Shaw, Kyzystof Penderecki, Leon Fleisher, and Sarah Chang. The orchestra has regularly appeared on public television as part of the annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival, and on National Public Radio, including regular features on their popular Performance Today.

_____________________________________

St. Olaf Orchestra, dirigert av Chung Park, er et fullt symfoniorkester med lange tradisjoner og en rekke internasjonale fremføringer bak seg. Orkesteret er spesielt kjent for sine entusiastiske og lidenskapelige opptredener. St. Olaf Orchestra ble grunnlagt i 1906 ved St. Olaf College i Minnesota, og har med sine 90 medlemmer blitt hyllet som et av USAs beste universitetsorkestre. I 2013 og 2018–19 ble de tildelt The American Prize for beste orkesterfremføring blant høyskoler og universiteter i USA.

St. Olaf Orchestra blir ofte sammenlignet med profesjonelle orkestre, og har blitt hyllet som et av USAs beste universitetsorkestre av TIME magazine. Orkesteret turnerte for første gang i 1949, da de reiste gjennom Minnesota og Iowa for å oppmuntre videregående skoler til å utvikle programmer for strykemusikk. I løpet av de neste tiårene vokste orkesteret og ble stadig bedre. St. Olaf Orchestra har turnert over store deler av USA, i mange land i Europa samt i Kina, Argentina og Uruguay. De har også opptrådt med verdenskjente dirigenter og utøvere som Robert Shaw, Krzysztof Penderecki, Leon Fleisher og Sarah Chang. Orkesteret vises jevnlig på TV som en del av den årlige St. Olaf Christmas Festival, og høres stadig på radiokanalen National Public Radio i USA, blant annet med faste innslag i det populære programmet Performance Today.

Dr. Chung Park is a nationally-recognized conductor, music educator, and editor. He serves as the conductor of the award-winning St. Olaf Orchestra and began conducting the St. Olaf Philharmonia in the fall of 2023. Park maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor in both the professional and educational realms, with engagements including the Sarasota Orchestra,

Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and student honor orchestras throughout the United States.

Park comes to St. Olaf College most recently from the University of Central Florida, where he served as conductor of the UCF Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, head of string music education, and instructor of viola. Park earned his doctorate in instrumental conducting from the University of Miami, and holds M.M. degrees in orchestral conducting (University of Illinois) and viola performance (Western Michigan University), and a B.M. in viola performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music.

Deeply engaged in the life of the American music education community, Dr. Park has given hundreds of clinics in schools throughout the United States for all levels and ensemble types. He is an ardent believer in the value of a liberal arts education, the breadth and depth it provides, and the possibilities inherent in its ability to address the whole person.

_____________________________________

Dr. Chung Park er nasjonalt anerkjent i USA som dirigent, musikkpedagog og redaktør. Han er dirigent for det prisbelønte St. Olaf Orchestra og begynte å dirigere St. Olaf Philharmonia høsten 2023. Park er ettertraktet som gjestedirigent både i profesjonelle og pedagogiske sammenhenger, og har engasjementer blant annet i Sarasota Orchestra, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra og universitetsorkestre over hele USA.

Park kom til St. Olaf College direkte fra University of Central Florida, hvor han var dirigent for UCF Symphony Orchestra og UCF Chamber Orchestra, leder for strykerutdanningen og i tillegg underviste i bratsj. Park fikk sin doktorgrad i instrumentaldirigering ved University of Miami, og har mastergrader i orkesterdirigering (University of Illinois) og utøvende bratsj (Western Michigan University) samt en bachelorgrad i utøvende bratsj fra Peabody Conservatory of Music.

Dr. Park er sterkt engasjert i musikkutdanningsmiljøet i USA, og har holdt hundrevis av kurs på skoler i hele landet, for alle nivåer og ensembletyper. Han har sterk tro på verdien av en utdannelse innen humanistiske fag, bredden og dybden en slik utdannelse tilbyr, og de mange mulighetene som åpner seg i søken etter å forklare og forstå hele mennesket.

The Oslo Chamber Choir was founded in 1984 by Grete Pedersen, with the ambition of being one of the absolute top choirs of Norway, and an innovative voice in the international arena. Parallel to singing classical repertoire, the choir early started experimenting with Norwegian folk music, and through intensive work together with the best performers in this tradition, the Oslo Chamber Choir has acquired a unique expression by being one of the only choirs where all the singers are profoundly trained in Norwegian folk music singing.

Now led by Håkon Daniel Nystedt, the choir has reached new heights with renowned recordings, concerts and tours both in Norway and abroad. The most recent, a tour in the USA where they got to visit and perform at several colleges, including St. Olaf.

_____________________________________

Oslo Kammerkor ble grunnlagt i 1984 av Grete Pedersen, med ambisjonen om å være et av Norges aller beste kor, samt en nyskapende stemme på den internasjonale scenen. Parallelt med å synge klassisk repertoar begynte koret tidlig å eksperimentere med norsk folkemusikk. Gjennom intensivt samarbeid med de beste utøverne innen denne tradisjonen, har Oslo kammerkor fått sitt unike uttrykk og er nå et av de eneste korene der alle sangerne har fått undervisning i norsk folkesang.

I dag, ledet av Håkon Daniel Nystedt, har koret nådd nye høyder med anerkjente innspillinger, konserter og turnéer både i Norge og internasjonalt. Den nyeste, en turné i USA, hvor de fikk besøke og opptre ved flere høyskoler, inkludert St. Olaf.

Håkon Daniel Nystedt has conducted most of Norway’s symphony orchestras, as well as several other orchestras, choirs, and wind ensembles both in Norway and internationally. He has also been involved in several opera productions as either a principal or assistant conductor.

Since 2021, Håkon Daniel Nystedt has been affiliated with the Opera High School in Oslo, where he is pursuing a PhD in artistic development work.

In recent years, Håkon Daniel Nystedt has also been active in composing music. The work *Purgatorium* was released on an album in 2024, and his *Stabat Mater* was premiered at the closing concert of the Oslo International Church Music Festival in the spring of 2023. In the fall of 2023, his opera *Anima* was performed on the main stage at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts.

_____________________________________

Håkon Daniel Nystedt har dirigert de fleste norske symfoniorkestre og rekke andre orkestre, kor og korps i inn- og utland, og han har vært involvert i en rekke operaoppsetninger som hoved- eller assistentdirigent.

Fra 2021 er Håkon Daniel Nystedt tilknyttet Operahøgskolen i Oslo, der har gjør en doktorgrad i kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid.

De siste årene har Håkon Daniel Nystedt også vært aktiv med å skrive musikk. Verket “Purgatorium” ble gitt ut plate i 2024, og hans “Stabat Mater” ble uroppført på Oslo Internasjonale Kirkemusikkfestivals avslutningskonsert våren 2023. Høsten 2023 oppførtes hans opera “Anima” på hovedscenen på Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo.

Håkon Daniel Nystedt har studert dirigering ved Norges Musikkhøgskole og Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium. 

About Classical Movements
The premier concert tour company for the world’s great orchestras and choirs, Classical Movements creates meaningful cultural experiences through music in 147 countries. An industry leader for Three Decades, Classical Movements organizes more than 60 tours every year, producing some 200 concerts every season. Producer of the Prague Summer Nights: Young Artists Music Festival, in addition, Classical Movements’ Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program has commissioned over 104 works from Grammy, Oscar and Pulitzer Prize-winning composers. Winner of Americans for the Arts’ BCA10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts Award, since its founding in 1992, as a truly global company, Classical Movements remains committed to facilitating cultural diplomacy across the world—promoting peace through the medium of music.