The picture above is from the Isnard/Cavaillé-Coll organ at St.Sulpice, Paris. In the spring of 1978 I was present at an organ presentation by the organist there at that time, Jean-Jaques Grunenwald. During my participating at the master-class of Olivier Latry (professor at the conservatory & organiste titulaire de Notre Dame) held at Notre Dame de Paris in October 1997, I was again attending an organ demonstration at St. Sulpice given by Daniel Roth,the organist there at current time.

I never played there, but Cavaillé-Coll organs are a symbol of much of my organ repertory which embraces major works by the french romantic school e.g. Ch. M. Widor, César Franck, and especially Louis Vierne, by whom I have performed all 6 organ symfonies, and the 2nd Suite ( On August 13th 2006 I performed the 4th symph. at The National Shrine, Washington DC, where I played the first time in 1989). I have attended two Masterclasses by Olivier Latry as an active participant earlier, in Copenhagen. In the autumn of 1997, I was participating as an active student at Olivier Latry’s Masterclass held at Notre Dame de Paris.

I am born in Broenneoysund, Norway. After having completed my college studies, I went to Denmark to study organ at the Academy of Music in Aalborg, Denmark. After my graduation there I passed the admission test for the Soloist Class at the Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark and was awarded the Soloist Diploma in 1986 after a debut as organ recitalist preceding 3 years of studies with Domorganist Anders Riber.

As an organ recitalist I have been touring with major works from the organ litterature by e.g. Max Reger, Louis Vierne, Ch.M.Widor and, of course, J.S.Bach. In the autumn of 1989, for instance, I performed on the major organs in Washington D.C., i.e. at the E. Skinner organ (189 stops) of the Washington Cathedral and on the Moeller organs of The National City Christian Church (listen to my performance of Reubke’s Sonata at the NCCC)

and The National Shrine (listen to my recital Aug. 2006, Vierne’s 4th, here). During the period 1984 – 2022 I was employed as an organist & choirmaster at Sthens Kirke, Helsingoer, Denmark, the city where the famous composer Dietrich Buxtehude came from. I’m now retired as a state serviceman, but still working as an organist at the Norwegian Church in Copenhagen and as a substitute organist. My secondary instrument is the piano (I studied piano playing with Peter Westenholz, Rodolfo Llambías and Ludmila Lysenko). During the first half of the year 2001 I’ve managed to get both a Steinway grand piano to my church and my home as well. Though as an free time pianist I find the Steinway pianos being a great inspiration to my professional career as an organist. Both sound and touch are of unique qualities!

Since 2016 I’ve been suffering from cancer i.e. GIST tumor originally with extensively spreading to liver and intestines. Almost 8 months after my first hospitalization April 2016,  I got my diagnosis December 2016; by then the main tumor was the size of an football and I had 12 metastasis in the liver and  expected the end of life. After chemo treatment since 2017 at Herlev Hospital and 3 major operations 2018 at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen my condition is much better and I’m able to work again in 2019. Some kind of miracle it is! Till this year 2023 I’ve had no relapse. In 2019 I started working full time again. Since September 2022 I have been retired form my organist position and am receiving pensions. Though I’m still working somewhat as substitute organist and playing some recitals as well.