Women's Choral Society of the University of Oslo (Kvindelige Studenters Sanforening--KSS)

The Women’s Choral Society of the University of Oslo (Kvindelige Studenters Sanforening–KSS) sings everything from Norwegian folk music to contemporary works dressed in traditional Norwegian garb. Since 2015, Interkultur, the world’s leading organizer of international choir competitions and festivals, has ranked KSS as the world’s top women’s choir. The 35-member troupe, founded in 1895, is the oldest women’s academic choir in the world.

KSS toured the U.S. 70 years ago, and will retrace some of the stops on that 1948 tour. Other cities on the tour include Minneapolis, Des Moines, Chicago and New York. The choir notes that, “with 123 years of history, we honor our traditions, but also continue to develop our society through singing new music and building new musical relations both at home and abroad.” In addition to choral music, choir member Sara Aimée Smiseth will play piano pieces by Norway’s most beloved composer, Edvard Grieg, to celebrate the 175^th anniversary of his birth. The choir will offer pre-release copies of their latest album for purchase on the tour, which includes some of the choir’s current repertoire. The album will be released in Norway in May.