Sigurd Jansen
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Jansen is a Norwegian
composer, pianist
and conductor.
, in Vestfold
county, Norway
. He studied classical music at the Norwegian Academy of Music
in Oslo
. He was a teacher of piano from 1957 to 1962. Jansen has worked as an orchestra leader at Chat Noir
, and as jazz
pianist, orchestra leader and arranger on a number of recordings. Since 1957 he has worked in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation where he is responsible for the music of a variety of TV programs and movies. His main occupation is to compose, arrange, conduct and play piano.
Sigurd Jansen is also a composer and has won several awards for his compositions. In 1964 Jansen won the Norwegian final of the Eurovision Song Contest with Spiral, with text by Egil Hagen (1912- 2004), performed by Arne Bendiksen
. He has composed music for several movies. Jansen was also consultant for the Norwegian pavilion in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World.
Sigurd Jansen was the conductor of six Norwegian
entries in Eurovision Song Contest
between 1979 to 1984.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
composer, pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and conductor.
Biography
Sigurd Alf Jansen was born in HortenHorten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
, in Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He studied classical music at the Norwegian Academy of Music
Norwegian Academy of Music
The Norwegian Academy of Music is a music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the country's highest level of music education. As a university college, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. He was a teacher of piano from 1957 to 1962. Jansen has worked as an orchestra leader at Chat Noir
Chat Noir
Chat Noir is a cabaret and revue theatre in Oslo, Norway. It was established in 1912 by Bokken Lasson. The current director is Tom Sterri.-Establishment:...
, and as jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist, orchestra leader and arranger on a number of recordings. Since 1957 he has worked in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation where he is responsible for the music of a variety of TV programs and movies. His main occupation is to compose, arrange, conduct and play piano.
Sigurd Jansen is also a composer and has won several awards for his compositions. In 1964 Jansen won the Norwegian final of the Eurovision Song Contest with Spiral, with text by Egil Hagen (1912- 2004), performed by Arne Bendiksen
Arne Bendiksen
Arne Joachim Bendiksen, born 19 October 1926 in Bergen, Norway, died 26 March 2009, was a Norwegian singer, composer and producer, described as "the father of pop music" in Norway....
. He has composed music for several movies. Jansen was also consultant for the Norwegian pavilion in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World.
Conductor
Internationally, he has served as conductor for his own compositions and arrangements with, among others, the following:- Malmö Symphony OrchestraMalmö Symphony OrchestraThe Malmö Symphony Orchestra is a Swedish orchestra, based in Malmö. Since 1985, the orchestra has given its main concert series in the Konserthuset, Malmö. The orchestra has a current complement of 94 musicians...
- Bergen Philharmonic OrchestraBergen Philharmonic OrchestraThe Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
- BBC Symphony OrchestraBBC Symphony OrchestraThe BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
- Metropol Orchestra in the NetherlandsNorddeutscher RundfunkNorddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
- Danish National Symphony OrchestraDanish National Symphony OrchestraThe Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
- Symphony Orchestra in Hannover
Sigurd Jansen was the conductor of six Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
entries in Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
between 1979 to 1984.
- OliverOliver (song)"Oliver" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, performed in Norwegian by Anita Skorgan. This was Skorgan's second participation in the Contest; in 1977 she had placed 14th out of 18 entries with "Casanova"....
(1979) - Sámiid ÆdnanSámiid Ædnan"Sámiid Ædnan" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed by Sverre Kjelsberg and Mattis Hætta. The song is sometimes described as being in the Sami language, however this is not correct...
(1980) - Aldri i livetAldri I Livet"Aldri i livet" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in Norwegian by Finn Kalvik.The song is a ballad, with Kalvik telling his lover that "Never in my life have I thought of leaving you", and asking whether she thinks of him when he is not with her.The song was...
(1981) - Adieu (1982)
- Do Re MiDo Re Mi (Jahn Teigen song)"Do Re Mi" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983, performed in Norwegian by Jahn Teigen.The song is based around the simple joy of making music, with Teigen singing about the sound of the scale itself. He urges his listeners to combine their voices as one and sing the familiar...
(1983) - Lenge Leve LivetLenge Leve Livet"Lenge leve livet" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1984, performed in Norwegian by Dollie de Luxe.In the song, the duo sings the praises of life...
(1984)
Films
He wrote the score of these films:- 1972: Takt og tone i himmelsengen (Danish)
- 1967: Elsk...din næste (Danish)
- 1965: De kalte ham SkarvenDe kalte ham SkarvenDe kalte ham Skarven is a 1965 Norwegian drama film directed by Wilfred Breistrand and Erik Folke Gustavson, starring Per Christensen and Liv Ullmann. The film is about a fisherman who has to face judgement on his life after an accident....
(Norwegian)
Awards
Jansen has received a number of awards:- Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy Award) - 1972
- Nordring Award for Best Music Producer - 1973
- Nordring Award for Best Music Arranger - 1975