Starting on January 1, 2026, Grete Pedersen will take up the role of principal conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum and professor in the practice of conducting.
Professor Pedersen comes from the Norwegian Academy of Music, where she served for over thirty years. In 2025, she will conclude a thirty-five-year tenure as artistic director of the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir in 2025. Her leadership resulted in numerous prestigious awards and an extensive discography.
A proponent of historically informed performance, Pedersen has guest conducted many renowned baroque ensembles and modern orchestras. Future engagements include a premiere with a major U.S. orchestra in 2026 and a concert with the Netherlands Bach Society. Pedersen advocates for both historical and new music, having commissioned works from prominent contemporary composers.
Her early training at the Norwegian State Academy of Music equipped her as an organist and church musician. Pedersen also has experience as a national women’s football player for Norway and is an avid sailor.
She became the artistic director of the Carmel Bach Festival in 2022 and was honored with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav and the Lindeman Prize. She records with BIS Records.