Kristian Skaarbrevik

His music explores encounters between various shades of rock guitar, classical music, improvisation and electronic music.

Skaarbrevik grew up in a musical world filled with Kiss cassettes and punk vinyl records. His first conscious encounter with classical music was when he as a child received a tape with the film music of “2001 " A Space Odyssey”, with various composers such as Ligeti. Since he picked up the guitar for the first time, he has improvised and composed music. Skaarbrevik's works and musicianship often involves usage of music technology, graphic and traditional scores and social environments.

Skaarbrevik has a Bachelor degree from Berklee College of Music, Boston, where he besides studies in composition and music technology studied guitar with Mick Goodrich. He holds a master degree from the Norwegian Music Academy. Here he studied composition and orchestration with Henrik Hellstenius and Asbjørn Schaatun, and at Notam (Norwegian center for technology in music and the arts).

He has performed with many contemporary music performers and improvisers, such as Christian Wolff (US), Pauline Oliveros (US), Frode Hatli (ECM) and Michael Duch.

In 2008 Skaarbrevik composed music for the art documentary “De Te Fabula Narratur” by Maria Sundby and did music for a crown jewel installation by the Swedish artist Ingbritt Lagerberg. In November 2009 Ålesund String quartet premiered his three movements composition The Kuiper Belt.

Skaarbrevik's album “Assemblage” features Ålesund string quartet and trumpet player Stian Omenås.

Tags