ABOUT

Jonas Lie Skaarud (b. 1990) is a Norwegian composer.

He is concerned with ideas of frailty and nostalgia using material from historic music, which is taken apart, deconstructed, and pieced together as sonic relics emitting faint echoes of the past. He twists and obscures tonality with the use of microtonality, preparing instruments with objects, and implementing extended techniques. Working with non-linear forms and repetitions, Skaarud shies away from classical western dramaturgy. Instead he wants to invite the listener to listen inwards.

He holds a BA in composition from The Norwegian Academy of Music and The Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary, and in 2017 he finished his MA at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He has been performed by Avanti! Chamber Ensemble, Oslo Sinfonietta, BIT20 Ensemble, Ensemble Ernst, Ensemble Temporum, POING, Asamisimasa and SISU Percussion amongst others – at venues such as Ultima, Only Connect, Borealis, Oslo International Chamber Music Festival, Young Nordic Music days, Baltic Sea Festival and June In Buffalo.

In 2018 he won the prestigious Norwegian Edvard Prize for his accordion concerto (forthwith a change came over the waters) and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. His quadruple concerto The moon has has, dogs are sleeping received a 3rd place in The International Rostrum of Composers 2026. From 2025 he has a 4-year government work grant from the Arts Council Norway.

He also writes music reviews for Scenekunst.no.