Olav Anton Thommessen

Olav Anton Thommessen is a Norwegian composer and music lecturer.  He trained in the United States, studying degrees at the Westminster Choir College and Indiana University. He is currently professor of composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where he has taught since 1972. He was involved in establishing the Norwegian Music Information Centre and has been a board member of the Norwegian ISCM department and the Norwegian State Music Council.

Thommessen’s musical style is modern, but not void of tonality. His compositions include several symphonic works, operas, chamber music pieces, and vocal works.

He won the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1990 and was a featured composer at the International Music Festival in Bergen in 1995 and the Festival of North Norway in 1996, in addition to numerous other prizes, commissions and performances.