Erling Aksdal is a Norwegian jazz pianist and composer with degrees from New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, USA. Since 1991 he has held a teaching position at the Department of Music, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway, where he has served as Head of Department. Currently he is Head of the Jazz Programme. He has served as Council Member of AEC, chaired the AEC Erasmus Mundus project ‘Mundus Musicalis’, Board Member of the European Music Council (EMC), the Norwegian National Council on Artistic Research as well as board member of various institutions, organizations and enterprises in Norway. Aksdal is a member of the Pop Jazz Platform (PJP) Working Group of the AEC.
Mattias Solli is a former jazz saxophonist. He studied at NTNU Jazz Department (Trondheim) and is now a philosopher, doing aesthetics, phenomenology, and hermeneutics. Special interest in how jazz musicians play by ear. Currently a Postdoc at Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies NTNU.
Espen Berg is a Norwegian pianist and composer living in Trondheim where he attained a master’s degree in 2008 at NTNU’s jazz department. His jazz trio, Espen Berg Trio, was named the «biggest musical discovery in the first half of 2016» by JAZZ JAPAN, and their concert at Trondheim Jazz Festival in 2016 was declared a «triumph» by JAZZWISE (UK), also writing that «it’s the kind of unrepeatable night jazz exists for». Espen was given Norway’s biggest music award «JazZtipendiatet» at Molde Int’l Jazz Festival 2016, which involved a commissioned work for Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. This work premiered in Molde in 2017, and Pat Metheny described it as «one of the most amazing performances I’ve ever experienced». Espen is an associate professor at NTNU’s jazz department, and was appointed official NTNU Ambassador together with his trio in 2016.
Anika Nilles built up a name for herself over the last five years as a Youtube sensation, boasting more than 17 million views on her drum videos featuring original compositions, as well as being a solo artist touring through Europe, China, Russia and North America.
Anika's playing style is distinguished by her strong groove, her finesse in technique, her unique sound and her ability how to use odd rhythms to make them sounding easy! Her use of the drum set as an expressive instrument rather than just a rhythm keeper allows for some extravagant playing without stealing the focus away from the music. Anika inspires drummers and musicians world wide to develope their skills and create their own music.
Henrik Sveidahl graduated in musicology from the University of Copenhagen. In 1991, he graduated from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory (RMC) in Copenhagen with saxophone as his main instrument. Henrik Sveidahl is Principal of the RMC Henrik Sveidahl is a well-established and acknowledged saxophone player. He is known for his great versatility and openness to new possibilities, and his influence on the Danish and Nordic music scene is remarkable. As Principal Henrik Sveidahl has been active for several years in international ccooperation as member of the executive committee of Association of Nordic Music Academies (ANMA).
