Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980) grew up in Trondheim, Norway, and began his career at the music school at the age of six playing the piano. At age ten, he started singing in the Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir. He was later educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim. 

As a composer, he had his first performance in 1999 with the Boys’ Choir. Since then, he has written music that has been performed by choirs all around the world. Arnesen is an elected member of the Norwegian Society of Composers. In 2010, his first large-scale work, Magnificat, was commissioned and premiered by the Nidaros Cathedral Girls’ Choir. The premiere received overwhelming feedback and led to several new commissions. The Magnificat was released on CD in 2014 on the record label 2L. In 2011, Arnesen’s choral piece "Even When He Is Silent" had its premiere during the St. Olav Festival (Olavsfestdagene) in Trondheim. The piece was commissioned by the festival, and since its premiere has been performed numerous times around the world.

In 2013, "Even When He Is Silent" and "Cradle Hymn" were released on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray on the “Christmas in Norway” special with the St. Olaf Choir and Nidaros Cathedral Girls’ Choir. The show aired on television in the United States and Norway. "Cradle Hymn" was the best-seller among Santa Barbara Music Publishing’s Christmas music in 2014.

In April 2014, Arnesen’s Requiem was premiered by the Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir, and the work had its US premiere in April 2015 in West Virginia. The Denver-based choral ensemble Kantorei and their Artistic Director, Joel Rinsema, invited Arnesen to be Composer-in-Residence for their 2015-2016 season.

For more information, visit kimarnesen.com.