Asbjørn Schaathun

Asbjørn Schaathun (b. 1961) is one of the leading Nordic composers of his generation, and a pioneer in the use of Computer-aided Composition in Norway. As a professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music, he has been instrumental in shaping a new generation of composers in Norway from the 1990s onwards.

Schaathun has studied piano and composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music in London and IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustiques/Musique) in Paris. In 1986, he founded Oslo Sinfonietta and served as artistic director for a number of years. Schaathun has been awarded several prizes for his musical practice, among others, the Gaudeamus International Composers Award (1991), the Norwegian Society of Composers’ Work of the Year (1992), and the Lindeman Prize for significant contributions to the musical life of Norway (2008).

Besides composing and teaching, Schaathun has written articles, program notes, and essays, and has served on the boards of several organisations, including TONO and the Norwegian Society of Composers (Chairman of the board).