 I was born May 5 1980 in Ålesund. I grew up in quiet and idyllic surroundings in Valldal, a small rural district located between Trollstigen and Geiranger in Western Norway. In addition to my passion for soccer, I was not very old when I got interested in music, and I started to play the trumpet when I was 9 years old. Odd Fossum, my teacher through many years, was an important source of motivation, and in a way he started my career as a musician. Playing in many bands, brass bands and big bands, I developed a certain level of technique on my instrument.
When I was 16 years old, I moved to Ålesund to study music for three years at Fagerlia Upper Secondary School. During these years, I had the pleasure of working with artists such as Django Bates (England) and Magnar Aam (Norway) at Molde International Jazz Festival. In Ålesund, I also started my career as a conductor.
In 1999, I moved to Trøndelag to attend Sund Folk High School in Inderøy. I had a great year here, and met a lot of fine musicians. Some of these became my classmates when continuing my studies at the Conservatory of Music in Trondheim in 2000. I educated myself as a jazz trumpeter, pedagogue and composer, with teachers as John Pål Inderberg, Erling Aksdal, Terje Bjørklund, and Henning Sommero among others. During these years I worked with artists as Louis Sclavis (France), Jon Balke, Terje Rypdal, Egil Kampstad, Askil Holm, Gunnhild Sundli, Stråle Storløkken and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. In addition to studying and playing the trumpet, I conducted several bands and big bands, composed many large ordered compositions and taught Young Musicians at the Conservatory of Music and at Trondheim Academy of Music.
At present time my trumpetplay is inspired and influenced mainly by Miles Davis. My compositions are also inspired by Davis, in addition to classical composers such as Stravinskij, Bartok, Messiaen, Bach and Ligeti. I also have the pleasure listening to amazing artists like Tom Waits, Björk and Thomas Dybdahl, among others.
At present I work with these bands at a regular basis: Stian Omenås Ensemble, my own solo project, Miles Davis Tribute, Marita Røstad, Omenås/Aadland, Tom Waits Tribute, Larsen/Omenås/Taxt, Omenås/Skarbø, Piaf, Bungalow, and "Circulez" with Lois Sclavis. |
