In the 2009/10 season, Ingar Bergby was guest conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra for a cycle of all Brahms Symphonies. Until the season 2007/08 he was permanent Guest Conductor with responsibility for Nordic repertoire of the Bergen Philharmonic. From 1999 – 2005, he was Music Director of the Värmland Opera in Sweden and of the Orchestra of Värmland Opera, and he was Principal Conductor of the Opera Vest and Principal Guest Conductor of the Bit 20 Ensemble, both of them located in Bergen, Norway. In addition, Ingar Bergby is a regular guest conductor at the Norwegian National Opera.

Ingar Bergby was born in Norway in 1964. He studied clarinet with Prof. Richard Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Music and later conducting with Prof. Karsten Andersen, and with Jorma Panula in Helsinki. He has been awarded scholarships from the Norwegian Government as well as numerous Norwegian honorary prices.

His conducting career started when he became Chief Conductor of the Bit 20 Ensemble in 1991 and of Opera Vest in 1993. These contemporary music ensembles enjoy internationally a high reputation and are regularly invited by important music festivals and important concert in Europe, among others the Agora Festival at IRCAM Center, Barbican Center, Alternative Lyrique Festival Paris, Musikfest Bremen, Musica Festival Strasbourg, Ultima Festival Oslo, the Bergen International Festival, the Autunnale Festival and Music Factory where they have received exceptionally fine reviews. With these ensembles Ingar Bergby has made numerous CD recordings and world premieres, and they have toured all the Nordic countries, England, Germany and France. Opera Vest has collaborated closely with Music Theatre Wales for many years.

Since 1994 Ingar Bergby has been regularly invited as guest conductor to leading Norwegian and Swedish Orchestras, such as the Oslo Philharmonic, the Bergen Philharmonic, the Trondheim Symphony, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Norwegian Opera, the Gothenburg Symphony, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and the Helsingborg Symphony. Many of these concerts have been broadcasted on television and radio. His German debut with the Duisburg Philharmonic in November 2006 turned out to be a huge success, and he returned to the orchestra in October 2009. Equally succesful was his Danish debut with the Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester.

During his tenure as chief conductor of the Värmland Opera, Ingar Bergby’s repertoire was enlarged by classical and romantic opera His performances of “Fidelio”, “Tosca”, “Un Ballo in Maschera” and “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” as well as his interpretations of all symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann received outstanding critical acclaim. At the Gothenburg Opera, he premiered Jan Sandström’s „K. – Beschreibung eines Kampfes“.