Ketil Bjørnstad & Tore Brox
Biography Ketil Bjørnstad & Tore Brox
Brynjar Onsøien
graduated from the Barratt Due Music Institute. He works extensively with ensemble singing around Norway with various groups and ensembles such as Kilden Vokalensemble, Vokal Nord, Vocal Art, Christiania Mannskor, Den Norske Opera & Ballets Operakor, as well as the male quartet Tre Skjeggete Menn.
Brynjar is a versatile singer who has participated in everything from opera choirs and contemporary music via barbershop and jazz to musical theatre performances. As a soloist, he has performed Bach cantatas as well as Carmina Burana. He has also performed various opera roles during his studies.
In the autumn of 2022, he made his debut in the role of Masetto in Kilden Opera's production of Don Giovanni.
In January/February 2023, he toured as an actor/singer in the production Utvik Senior, which was named Hedda of the Year in 2022.
Nils Økland
is an innovative violinist and harding- fiddle specialist who has been active as a musician and composer since the mid 80´s. He mainly plays concerts with his own music with his band Nils Økland Band (Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Håkon Mørch Stene, Mats Eilertsen, Sigbjørn Apeland) in addition to duo concerts with Sigbjørn Apeland and solo concerts. He also collaborate with a brode range of musicians, from Per Steinar Lie and Ørjan Haaland in Lumen Drones, the Engegaard Quartet and Linus+Okland/Van Heertum/Zach. Økland also write music for theatre, ballet and film.
Økland has published four albums on the label ECM: Monograph, Lysøen, together with Sigbjørn Apeland, Lumen Drones, with Per Steinar Lie and Ørjan Haaland, and Kjølvatn with Nils Økland Band. He has also published severeal albums at Hubro with the impro trio, 1982, that was active from 2007-2018. Nils Økland's bands last recording «Lysning» was also released by Hubro, and has been given good reviews and won a Norwegian grammy in open class. Lumen Drones last album Umbra was also published at Hubro and got good reviews both in Norway and internationally. Before this he released two albums on Rune Grammofon and his debut album, «Blå harding», on his own label Morild.
Hanne Rekdal
has distinguished herself as a freelance musician on both flute and bassoon in several genres. She has played concerts in Norway and abroad with various orchestras and ensembles. In addition to having studied classical music with teachers such as Dag Jensen, Torkil Bye and Cecilie Løken, she has become a sought-after improviser in various styles. Among others, Thomas Strønen, Augusto Fernandez and Rolf Erik Nystrøm have been teachers and supervisors for Hanne in improvisation. Hanne has collaborated with several of the country's leading musicians and composers and is engaged and active in the music community in Oslo. She has been a solo flutist / bassoonist in several orchestras, runs the contemporary music quartet Tøyen Fil og Klafferi, has been involved in arranging the improvisation concert series Fritt Fall and in ensembles such as Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, neoN and Oslo Sinfonietta. In addition to her specialization in contemporary music, Hanne loves to play baroque music, and has studied traverso for several years.
Ellen Brekken
comes from a family with many musicians and became interested in music at an early age. At the age of 10, she started playing baritone in a band, before taking up the tuba at the age of 12 and picking up her uncle's Fender Precision bass the following year. After several years of playing in bands and orchestras, she enrolled in the music programme at Nord-Østerdal upper secondary school, and also played in big bands and symphony orchestras. It was here that she got a taste of the double bass, which became her main instrument when she started at Toneheim Folk High School in 2004. She went on to spend a year studying at the jazz school in Stavanger before starting a four-year bachelor's degree in jazz/improvised music at the Norwegian Academy of Music. During her studies, which she completed in 2010, she also spent six months in Cape Town on an exchange programme.
Ellen has worked freelance in Oslo since her studies and in April 2021 released her first record under her own name with the band A tonic for the troops. In addition to playing permanently in the bands Hedvig Mollestad trio, Du og jeg og vi 2 - 3 - 4, Kontrabassorkesteret etc. she has worked with artists/musicians such as Dance with a Stranger, Tord Gustavsen trio, Ketil Bjørnstad, Kjetil Bjerkestrand, Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen, Karl Seglem, Staffan William-Olsson, Moddi, Frida Ånnevik, Trondheim jazz orchestra, Falkevik, Caledonia jazz band, Ine Hoem, MAAR, Aasmund Nordstoga, Kim Rysstad, the Norwegian Defence Staff Band, Oslo Bassoon Choir, Ungdomssymfonikerne etc. In addition, she has worked extensively for Rikskonsertene and Den kulturelle skolesekken, as well as for Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre).
