Jan Martin Smørdal

Jan Martin Smørdal

Jan Martin Smørdal (b. 1978) allows himself to be inspired by the audience’s desire to be manipulated, and to give himself up to the same illusions that come as ”experiences”. The fact that the audience does not actually want to become private, is to him a paradox and a source of infinite inspiration. Smørdal has studied jazz guitar at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He also took a master’s degree in performance, and an in-depth study in improvisation on works adapted to the Heideggerean perspective of art. He presently works as composer, organizer and performer, and he teaches at the Norwegian Academy of Music and the University of Oslo. He has worked as musician and producer with artist such as Hanne Hukkelberg and Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen.

From his perspective, the expression “contemporary music” has almost to a comic extent drifted away from its original significance, in terms of act and expression. In times when less and less people attend concerts, and narrow music types tends to keep within a narrow context, Smørdal finds it intriguing to produce new art that can communicate good illusions, or lacks thereof, in a way that works even in today’s setting.