selected works (associated performers/commissioned by)
I have attached some scores here, these are not for distribution or performances - please contact National Library of Norway to buy physical scores and parts.
chamber
SOLO
“All play 3”, for electric guitar with hex pickup, 6 amplifiers and mixer - a homage to Annea Lockwood. The piece has been realised through close collaboration with Lars Ove Fossheim, for whom this piece is written, 2022-2024. TBP and recorded 2025. Image above is 3rd page of the score.
“I/O”, for soloist with mirror, feedback (microphone-speaker set up embedded in the mirror and the body of the performer), amplified objects and percussion, and 8-channel sound (addcorder). Premiered during Ultima 2022 by Jennifer Torrence, for whom the piece was composed.
“Répétitions I & II”, for flute and 2 channel addcorder. Live soundsculpting piece, commissioned by Alessandra Rombolà, 2021.
“3 instances” for bass, commissioned by Håkon Thelin, 2021. [SCORE]
"Flock of me" for flute and recorded flutes (5 ch), with Yumi Murakami, 2015-16. [SCORE]
"flock foam fume" for solo violin and recorded violin (8 ch or 4 ch). Commissioned by Karin Hellqvist and premiered at Ultima festival 2016. [SCORE]
"SHO(r)TS" 1-5, solo miniatures. Each piece is adapted for flute, clarinet in Bb, trombone, alto saxophone, 2015-16. These pieces will be re-created in 2025 as a non-synchronized ensemble piece. [SCORE nr 2]
"Play me" for performer, projections, objects, tape. Commissioned by Wendy Greenberg, 2008.
DUO
“Daily routines”, work in progress for Karin Hellqvist (vln), Heloisa Amaral (pno) and recordings, 2020. (Was scheduled to be premiered July 2020 during the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, but due to the Corona situation this is postponed.)
"The Lesser Nighthawk" for soprano and clarinet. Commissioned by Duo Parula (Gjertrud Pedersen & Astrid Kvalbein), 2013/15.
"snip-pets" for guitar duo. Commissioned by Frevo (Andreas Karlsen & Pål Granum), 2010. Recorded and released 2013 (Euridice). [SCORE]
TRIO
“Pre-Aria” for cello trio, a response work to the “Goldberg Variations” (J.S. Bach), commissioned by Djup Trio. To be recorded and performed at the end of 2024.
“jorda vendes” (“the earth/dirt is turned”) piece for sop, harp, perc/guit, with text fragments from Lars Mørch Finborud’s book “Vi lider av sol, vi lider av regn”. Commissioned by Sunniva Rødland and Perma Trio. Premiered January 27th 2023 in Oslo. [SCORE - Norwegian]
“fivefingers” for piano trio (vln, vcl, pno). Commissioned by Cikada Trio, premiered February 25th 2020. [SCORE]
"Madrigal" for sop, fl, guit./ad hoc. Commissioned by Trio Stillae, 2017/18. TBP.
"less-sense" for soprano, clarinet in A, percussion. Commissioned by Silje Aker Johnsen, premiered by her and Kristine Tjøgersen, Wendy Greenberg, 2007. Also in a version for soprano, flute, clarinet, piano, violin and cello, premiered in 2014 at Oslo Chamber Music Festival by Oslo Sinfonietta. Recorded and to be released 2023 (Lawo). [SCORE - for 6]
"Fill in the blanks" for percussion trio, video, props. Made in collaboration with Astrid Marie Huvestad, 2011. Commissioned and premiered by Pinquins (Sigrun Rogstad Gomnæs, Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen, Wendy Greenberg).
"My Favorite Thing 1" for percussion trio. Commissioned by Pinquins. Premiered June 17th 2017, Nynorskens Hus, Oslo.
QUARTET
“up [or: making Sisyphus’ rock softer]”, commissioned by Current Saxophone Quartet.
“both sides now” for 2 pno, 2 perc. Commissioned by nyMusikk Østfold, 2020. [SCORE]
“Reverse alarm variations” (originally named “Cell piece”) for string quartet and quadrophonic tape. Commissioned by the Borealis Festival, and premiered by the BIT 20 String Quartet in 2018.
"All play" for video, tape, fl, cl, pno, vlc. Made in collaboration with Daniel Meyer Grønvold and Astrid Marie Huvestad. Premiered at the klub katarakt festival in Hamburg, 2014. (Also in a version for quintet, including violin). [SCORE]
QUINTET
"All play" for video, tape, fl, cl, pno, vln, vlc. Made in collaboration with Daniel Meyer Grønvold and Astrid Marie Huvestad. Premiered at the klub katarakt festival in Hamburg, 2014. (Also in a version for quartet, omitting violin)
LARGE ENSEMBLE / OTHER
“For Hauge kirke”, a musical augmentation of Øystein Wyller Odden’s exhibition at Atelier Nord, called “Hauge kirke” (church Hauge). The performance and the exhibition was part of the Ultima festival 2024, and was composed for the NyNorsk Messingkvintett (Brass quintet).
“My favorite thing 4: past constructions” for brass quintet and soprano voice. Commissioned by NyNorsk Messingkvintett (brass quintet) and Silje Aker Johnsen. Premiered 18th October 2024 at TronTalks festival, followed by concert in Tyska Kyrkan in Stockholm 24th October.
"Choosing to sing" for ensemble neoN (fl, cl, sax, pno, perc./ad hoc/guit, vln, vcl) and soloist Eivind Lønning (trp). Released as record, March 2020 (SOFA music). Nominated for the Edvard prize for best contemporary work.
"My Favorite Thing 2", exists in 2 versions. 1) fl, cl, sax, sop, guit, perc, pno, vln, vlc. 2) fl, cl, sax, perc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vcl, kb. Commissioned by Ensemble neoN, premiered December 13th 2015 at the Henie Onstad Art Center. Released on Ensemble neoN’s debut record (Aurora / Grappa), awarded with the Norwegian Grammy - Spellemannprisen - for best contemporary album 2016. [SCORE]
ORCHESTRA
"My Favorite Thing 3", for orchestra (w/partially prepared strings). Premiered by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Kork) September 16th 2017 both as the closing concert of the Ultima Festival, and as part of the 100th year anniversary for the Norwegian Composer Society. [SCORE]
"Still", for string orchestra. Commissioned by Ensemble Allegria. Premiered November 30th 2019.
“SOFAR” for orchestra (Norwegian Radio Orchestra) and improviser (trumpet phenomena Eivind Lønning). Premiered 29th April 2022 at the Munch museum, during nyMusikk’s festival Only Connect. [SCORE]
“Responses to imagined movements”, commission from Telemark Chamber Orcestra + Ensemble Kammerklang (fl,cl, vln, vcl, pno, perc). Premiered during the Norsjø Chamber Music Festival April 26, 2023. [SCORE] This work is a commentary, or reaction to Antonio Bibalo’s “The Savage”, but also to my first encounter to the music of I. Xenakis.
From Only Connect Oslo 2022
CHOIR
“Me siglar ikkje same havet" - SATB, 2008. Premiered by Det Norske Solistkor / Norwegian Soloist Choir. [SCORE]
"opp.hav", 16 ind. voices SATB, 2014. Commissioned by Vokal Nord.
4 pieces for SATB (22), and ensemble (cl, 2 vl, vla, vcl). Texts by Gro Dahle. Commissioned by Tønsberg Domkor. Premiered during Vestfoldfestspillene June 26th 2017.
“diamond & dagger” for choir in 2 groups (S1A1T1B1 + S2A2T2B2), and percussion. Commissioned and premiered by Ensemble 96 and Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen, 2018.
INSTALLATION
"Mylna" - a 24h installation for stringed & amplified steel bridge and recordings, 2010. Commissioned by Nedre Eiker Kommune, Mjøndalen.
Mylna 2010 from Jan Martin Smørdal on Vimeo.
"Feedbox" - 5 large sound sculptures, collaboration with Lars Kristian Røed, 2013. Selected for the ISCM 2013 in Wien/Vienna.
“OSV” - three instalments (through 2019-2020), of an outdoor sculpture park. This was a collaboration between Jan Freuchen (artist), Jonas Major (architect) & Sigurd Tenningen (writer) and me. Situated at Økern (Oslo) This last instalment, called “the horizontal monolith” was active between September 2020 - October 2021.
works in process
There are several other commissions ahead, including pieces for the Cikada Ensemble, solo piano piece for Kenneth Karlsson w/electronics, another piece for solo piano/movements/feedback for Rei Nakamura, and an installation concert for Alessandra Rombolà (fl) & Manuel Zuria (fl).
As a former band musician, I enjoy doing (sporadically) orchestral/strings/winds/choir arrangements, for bands and artist. Here are some of the fantastic artists I’ve been working with:
some performances
Nordic Music Days (Stockholm + Reykjavik + Helsinki), ISCM festival (Wien, Austria + Tallinn, Estonia), Other Minds Festival (San Fransisco), Ultima festival (Oslo), Only Connect: Tectonics (Oslo), MATA festival (New York), Borealis - festival for experimental music (Bergen), klub katarakt (Hamburg), Resuonanze Festival (Udine), Mis-En Festival (New York), Themus International Festival for Theatrical Music (Göteborg), Weimarer Frühjahrstage für zeitgenössische Musik (Weimar), Oslo Chamber Music Festival (Oslo), Unbound Festival (Brisbane), ECCO-concert (Luxembourg), Fri Resonans (Trondheim), Festival da BRAVIO (Brasilia).
Most scores are available here
CD’s and LP’s are available here and here - or just send me an e-mail (please do!)
You can listen to some of my music here