Morten Gaathaug (born 20 April 1955) is a Norwegian contemporary composer [1] of orchestral works, solo pieces, chamber music, and concertos. His work is influenced by the classics, Norwegian folk music, and contemporary composers.
Gaathaug studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo where he followed composition classes with Johan Kvandal and piano classes with Kari Edgren Gierløff. He was a Slovakian State Stipend recipient and studied at the Bratislava Music Academy in 1981-82 with teachers Eva Fischerová (piano) and Vladimír Bokes (composition). Currently Gaathaug teaches piano at the Kontra culture school in Ski and he has also been active as a music critic in Drammens Tidende and Aftenposten. [2]
Gaathaug produced more than 100 works in a variety of genres, including orchestral works, solo pieces, chamber music as well as songs and concertos for trumpet and oboe, a De profundis (García Lorca) for mezzo-soprano and orchestra plus a concertino for accordion and orchestra. In his compositions 24 fugleportretter, De tapte fuglers verden and Ornis musicalis, the composer utilizes bird song in his music. As well as international music, Gaathaug has devoted much time to focus on Norwegian folk music, which in turn has influenced his own compositions. [3]
Gaathaug served for two years on the board of Ny Musikk (the Norwegian section of the International Society for Contemporary Music) and two years on the board of the Norwegian Society of Composers. In 1978, Gaathaug founded The Norwegian Prokofiev Society – an organisation whose aim is to promote Prokofiev’s music in Norway. He has also advocated for renewed public interest in the music of female Norwegian composer Borghild Holmsen (1865–1938). [4]
Arve Tellefsen is a Norwegian violinist who has worked with conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Arvid Jansons, Herbert Blomstedt, Gary Bertini, Evgeny Svetlanov, Bryden Thomson, Neeme Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo Berglund, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Walter Weller and Zubin Mehta. In the UK, he has appeared with the Royal Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, The Hallé, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Welsh Orchestra, the Liverpool Philharmonic and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Herman David Koppel, known in Denmark as Herman D. Koppel, was a composer and pianist of Jewish origin. Born in Copenhagen, he fled the Nazis with his family to Sweden in 1943. He wrote 7 symphonies, numerous concertos, 6 string quartets and other chamber music, piano works, operas and film music.
Klaus Egge was a Norwegian composer and music critic.
Gunnar Sønstevold was a Norwegian composer. He was born in Elverum, and married composer Maj Sønstevold in 1941. He composed orchestral works, vocal music, chamber music, and music to a number of plays, ballets and films. He headed the Music Department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation/Television from 1966 to 1974. He was awarded Filmkritikerprisen in 1955, for the film Det brenner i natt!. He received the Arts Council Norway music prize in 1972, and Radioteatret's honorary prize in 1987.
Alfred Janson was a Norwegian pianist and composer. He was born in Oslo as the son of sculptor Gunnar Janson and pianist Margrethe Gleditsch, and was brother of journalist Mette Janson. He was first married to actress and singer Grynet Molvig and later to Berit Gustavsen. He made his piano debut in 1962. Among his early compositions is the piano piece November from 1962 and the orchestral Vuggesang from 1963. He composed the ballet Mot solen for the Bergen International Festival in 1969, and in 1991 he was the festival's principal composer.
Wolfgang Plagge is a Norwegian composer and pianist.
Gaute Storaas is a Norwegian jazz musician (bass) and composer, and the older brother of jazz pianist Vigleik Storaas.
Erlend Fredrik Skomsvoll is a Norwegian jazz musician, band leader, composer and arranger, known from his own band Skomsork and the band Wibutee with Live Maria Roggen, Madrugada, and Kaizers Orchestra. He has also cooperated with Nils Petter Molvær, Chick Corea and Pat Metheny.
Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg is a Norwegian traditional musician and composer, known from a series of recordings. She is the daughter of traditional musicians Liv Rypdal Kvernberg and Torbjørn Kvernberg, and the sister of classical musician Kari Kvernberg Dajani and jazz violinist Ola Kvernberg, and granddaughter of the fiddler and traditional music composer Peter L. Rypdal.
Marcus Nicolay Paus is a Norwegian composer and one of the most performed contemporary Scandinavian composers. As a classical contemporary composer he is noted as a representative of a reorientation toward tradition, tonality and melody, and his works have been lauded by critics in Norway and abroad. His work includes chamber music, choral works, solo works, concerts, orchestral works, operas, symphonies and church music, as well as works for theatre, film and television. Paus is regarded as "one of the most celebrated classical composers of Norway" and "the leading Norwegian composer of his generation."
Kjell Mørk Karlsen is a Norwegian composer and organist.
Ketil Vea was a Norwegian composer and pedagogue.
Glenn Erik Haugland is a Norwegian contemporary composer.
Gisle Kverndokk is a Norwegian contemporary composer.
Ørjan Matre is a Norwegian contemporary composer.
Finn Arnestad was a Norwegian contemporary composer and musician.
Bjørn G. Gjerstrøm was a Norwegian contemporary composer. From an early age, Gjerstrøm would receive musical impulses from his parents, the composer Gunnar Gjerstrøm and music teacher Elsa Gjerstrøm. His mother began teaching him on the piano from the age of 4-5. He completed his first composition at the age of 9. At the age of twelve, his first compositions, 5 piano pieces that he performed on Norwegian and Swedish radio, were published by Norsk Notestikk and Forlag.
Kjell Habbestad is a Norwegian contemporary composer.
Bertil Palmar Johansen (born 18 February 1954) is a Norwegian contemporary composer and violinist.
Christian Hundsnes Grøvlen is a Norwegian classical pianist, composer and director at KODE Composers Homes, educated at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Wien and the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music.