Piano-studies with Amalie Christie and professor Robert Riefling, Oslo. Further studies in London and Paris. Debut january 1969 with Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Bartok pianoconcerto nr. 3). Experimental music with the avant-garde group Svein Finnerud Trio in 1971 and with the norwegian singer/author Ole Paus. Different performances with jazz- and rock-musicians 1971-1973. First album with own music released by Philips/Phonogram 1973, with Jon Eberson (g), Arild Andersen (b) and Jon Christensen (d), produced by Svein Erik Børja. Debut as author in 1972 with poems on Aschehoug. His books are translated to Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, Finnish, English, French, Chech, Polish, Korean, Russian, Bengali, Greek and Turkish.
Ketil Bjørnstad received the norwegian language-prize "Riksmålsprisen" for his novel "Nåde", and he got the norwegian Grammy-prize "Spellemannsprisen" for "Berget det blå". "Winner of the French Prix des Lecteurs 2008". Ketil Bjørnstad has been touring in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, United Kingdom, US, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Latvia, Japan, Taiwan, China, Bangladesh and India - alone and with groups.