Ingar Heine Bergby is one of Norway's leading conductors, with many achievements within classical music, opera, contemporary and crossover music. He has distinguished himself as an artist with the power to shape ideas and with great dedication to his work. Bergby was born in 1964 in Sarpsborg, Norway, into a musical family and grew up playing in the local wind bands. He studied clarinet with Richard Kjelstrup at The Norwegian Academy of Music, and later orchestra conducting with Karsten Andersen, as well as with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy. He graduated as conductor from the Norwegian Academy of Music in 1991. Artist photos by Benjamin A. Ward