Egil Hovland (1924) is one of Norway’s most productive contemporary composers, and also, perhaps, the one whose works are most frequently performed. He has written symphonic works, concerti for various instruments, chamber music, choral works, music for children and a great number of sacred works of varying dimensions, including a church opera, church ballets and music to modern biblical plays.

He gradulated as a church musican from the Oslo Conservatoire. Since 1949 he has held the post of organist and choir-master at the church og Glemmen in the city of Fredrikstad. He has always been in arranging courses and concerts and has been an active member of various organizations, comittees and councils. He studied composition with the late Bjarne Brustad in Oslo, with Vagn Holmboe in Copenhagen, with Aaron Copland in Tanglewood (USA) and with Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence.

As a composer, he has immersed himself in various styles - Norwegian Romanticism, Gregorian chant, neo-classicism, dodecaphony, aleatory and serial music - before returning to a highly simplified romanticism using elements of many different styles to express himself.

Egil Hovland has taken a very active part in the updating of the liturgical books of the Church of Norway, and he has also contributed as a composer to the standard collections of congregational hymns, choral works and organ accompaniments used by that Church. His songs have also been adopted by various other religious communities in Norway and abroad.

He has won several significant musical awards and in 1983 was made a Knight of the Royal Order of Saint Olav in recognition of his services to Norwegian music both as composer and performer.