Biography

My music is my own and I have never tried to be original. That has always been my motto and I have only tried to use music to express all the feelings life consists of. This has led people to describe my music as both ”so sad that it sounds like birds who have lost their wings” and ”the happiest classical music we ever heard”. I have also always preferred beautiful music to atonal music and that is surely the reason why the most part of my music is more on the sad side – but what a dream it would be to be able to create beautiful music that’s bubbling over with joy! My compositions consist of almost only sacral music. This is to express my own faith but also my appreciation and respect for the timeless texts that have been used for centuries after centuries.

In 1994 I was lucky enough to start conducting the female choir Carmen and I conducted them until we decided to disunite 2010. This is of course the biggest reason why most of my earlier compositions are for female choirs – the knowledge that what I write during the night will be tested the next evening is a driving force that not so many are lucky enough to have. Another great driving force started 2014 when Bärenreiter Verlag, Kassel, Germany began publishing my sacred choral works. It is truly encouraging to know that my music now gets publicity throughout the world.

https://www.baerenreiter.com/en/focus/maarten-jansson-sacred-choral-works/
https://www.baerenreiter.com/fileadmin/Service_Allgemein/Werbemittel/englisch/SPA050_64_Flyer_Jansson_engl_2017_web.pdf

I work as a voice, music theory and conducting teacher and conductor in Uppsala were I was born -1965 and still live with my wife and five children.

Short Curriculum Vitae

Empolyment:

  • Music theory, voice, conducting and choir teacher at GUC, Uppsala since 2014
  • Choir, music theory and voice teacher at Kulturskolan (Musikskolan), Uppsala since 1999
  • Music theory, voice, conducting and choir teacher at Bolandgymnasiet, Uppsala 1995-2014

Education:

  • Master of Fine Arts in Music Education (MFA), Royal College of Music in Stockholm 1996 Specializing in Dalcroze eurhythmics and voice
  • Musicology A-D (two years, no formal degree) Uppsala University 1986
  • Miscellaneous:
    1. Swedish representative as composer in Rikskonserters musical exchange with Latvia 1999
    2. Elected member of FST – Society of Swedish Composers 2012
    3. Member of the international jury at the contest for vocal ensembles at the 25th Latvian song festival 2013
    4. Member of the international jury at the contest for vocal ensembles at the 26th Latvian song festival 2018Atelier holder for girls choirs at the 12th International Youth Chamber Choir Meeting, Usedom, Germany 2018

Symposiums where my music has been presented:

  • Choir Olympics 2004, Bremen, Germany
  • Kyrkomusiksymposiet 2010 (Symposium for Church music) Workshop “Music for Women’s Choir” Uppsala, Sweden
  • Choir.com 2011, Workshop “Literatur für gleichstimmigen Kinder- und Jugendchor” Dortmund, Germany
  • Choir.com 2013, Workshop: “Der schwedische Komponist Mårten Jansson”, Dortmund, Germany
  • Tokyo Cantat 2015, Tokyo, Japan
  • Choir.com 2015 Bärenreiter Verlag hosts the workshop: “Schwedische chormusic von Mårten Jansson”, Dortmund, Germany

Commissions:

  • Two Mass Parts on the Choral ”Allein Gott in Der Höh Sei Ehr” organ (1995) – Birgitta Markström – premiered at the inauguration of the new organ in Knivsta kyrka, Knivsta, Sweden
  • De Profundis SSMAA (2004) – Les Jolies – premiered at the first International Choir Competition in Helsingborg, Sweden
  • Fear Thou Not SSMAA (2008) – Les Jolies – premiered at Lund International Choral Festival, Lund, Sweden
  • Fröjda dig, Jerusalem SATB and chamber orchestra (2011) premiered in Tierps kyrka, Tierp, Sweden
  • A Part of My Heritage organ (2012) – James D Hicks, USA – the premiere was broadcasted on the Swedish Radio “P2 Live” from Härnösands kyrka, Härnösand, Sweden
  • Maria (IV) SATB div (2012) – Slottskyrkans vokalensemble – the premiere was broadcasted by the Swedish television SVT from Slottskyrkan (The Royal Castle Church), Stockholm, Sweden
  • Cantiones de nativitate Domini et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi SCCTBB (2013) – Stockholms gosskör – premiered in Gustav Vasa kyrka, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Es ist ein Ros entsprungen SSAATTBB (2013) – Johann-Sebastian-Bach Ensemble Weimar – premiered in the Herderkirche, Weimar, Germany
  • I Never Saw a Moor SSMMAA (2013) – Cant’Ella, – premiered in Mönchengladbach, Germany
  • Erlkönig TTBB div (2014) – Camerata Musica Limburg – premiered in Staatstheater Darmstadt, Kleines Haus, Darmstadt, Germany
  • innanför överallt mass for three choirs, two organs and congregation (2014)- Uppsala Cathedral Music – premiered in Uppsala Cathedral, Uppsala, Sweden
  • Missa Popularis mass for SSA and string quartet (2015) – Skowronki, Poznan – premiered in the Franciscan church, Poznan, Poland
  • In the Light of God SMezATB (2015) commissioned by Bärenreiter Verlag, Tyskland – premiered by Capella Vocale during Chor.com in Dortmund, Germany
  • Vallåt och vals SSA, nyckelharpa and kokle (2016) – PUTNI – premiered in St. John’s Church, Piņķi, Latvia
  • De sancto Pelagio et sancto Theodolo SATB div and large symphony orchestra (2016) – Knabenkantorei Basel – premiered in Basler Münster cathedral, Basel, Switzerland
  • Ingenting utanför SSMezAA (2016) – La Cappella – premiered at the inauguration concert of DAMKÖR 2016 in Uppsala Cathedral, Uppsala, Sweden
  • Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott organ (2016) – James D. Hicks – premiered in Lund Cathedral, Lund, Sweden

Commissions under production:

  1. Salve Regina women’s choir (2017) – Vocalia Taldea – Spain
  2. Piece for SATBSATB (2017) – The Saint Louis Chamber Chorus – premiere in St Louis, USA
  3. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott SATB and organ (2017) – St Nicolai Motettkör – premier in St Nicolai Church, Örebro, Sweden

Published pieces:

  1. Bakmes SSSSAAAA (2001) Warner Chappell Scandinavia
  2. Ave Maria SSAA (2001) Warner Chappell Scandinavia
  3. Det är en Ros utsprungen SSSAAA (2001) Warner Chappell Scandinavia
  4. Fem visor till Luciatåget SMA (2001) Warner Chappell Scandinavia
  5. Trestämt SSA (book of arrangments, co-writer Eva Eriksson-Berglund) (2010) Notfabriken
  6. Trestämt 2 SSA (book of arrangments, co-writer Eva Eriksson-Berglund) (2012) Notfabriken
  7. Ora pro nobis SSMAA (2012) Gehrmans
  8. Herren är min herde SSAA (2012) Gehrmans
  9. Fear Thou Not SSMAA (2014) Bärenreiter Verlag
  10. Maria (IV) SATB div (2014) Bärenreiter Verlag
  11. The Choirmaster’s Burial SSATBB opt div (2014) Bärenreiter Verlag
  12. Cantate Domino SSAATTBB (2015) Bärenreiter Verlag
  13. Cantate Domino TTBB (2015) Bärenreiter Verlag
  14. I Never Saw a Moor SSMMAA (2015) Bärenreiter Verlag
  15. Trestämt SAB (book of arrangments, co-writer Eva Eriksson-Berglund) (2015) Notfabriken
  16. Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (arr) SSAATTBB (2015) Bärenreiter Verlag
  17. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (arr) SATB div Bärenreiter Verlag
  18. In the Light of God SMATB (suite in four movements) (2015) Bärenreiter Verlag
  19. Missa Popularis SSA(TB) and string quartet (string orchestra) (2016) Bärenreiter Verlag
  20. Missa Brevis in E-flat minor SATB (2016) Bärenreiter Verlag
  21. Nothing Beyond SSMAA (2016) Bärenreiter Verlag
  22. Two Poems SATB (2017) Bärenreiter Verlag
  23. De sancto Pelagio et sancto Theodolo SATB and organ (2017) Bärenreiter Verlag

Discography:

Putni (1997) – Putni, Riga, Latvia
Ora Pro Nobis, Ave Maria

Sång (1998) – Carmen, Uppsala, Sweden
Bakmes, Cantus Natalisii, Det är en Ros utsprungen arr: M. Jansson,
Stilla Natt arr: T. Ljung/M. Jansson,
Brother Moses Gospel Train arr: M. Jansson

Astonas dienas nedela (1999) Putni, Riga, Latvia
Ben E. King / I. Leiber & M. Stoller: “Stand By Me” arr: M. Jansson
S. Wonder: “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” arr: M. Jansson
H. Forde: “Ir You’re Happy”arr: M. Jansson

I juletid (2002) – La Cappella, Uppsala, Sweden
Franz Gruber ”Stilla Natt” vocal arr: K-F. Jehrlander string arr: M. Jansson

Missa De Profundis (2006) – Carmen, Stockholm, Sweden
Missa De Profundis

Nature’s first green is gold (2006) – Embla, Trondheim, Norway
Ave Maria

Triumf (2007) – Akademiska damkören Lyran, Helsingfors, Finland
Herren är min herde

Salve Regina (2007) – Hjo kyrkas ungdomskör, Hjo, Sweden
Trina Celi Hierachia, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen arr

Ekumeniske Ziemassvetki (2007) – Putni, Riga, Latvia
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen arr: M. Jansson

Tillägnad (2010) – Les Jolies, Trollhättan, Sweden
De Profundis, Bakmes

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (2012) – Cant’Ella, Mönchengladbach, Germany
Ave Maria, Ave Maria, Magnificat, Det är en Ros utsprungen arr: M. Jansson,
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen arr: M. Jansson

Fairy Day (2013) – Adolf Fredriks Flickkör, Stockholm, Sweden
Ora Pro Nobis

Jul med Exaudio (2013) – Exaudio, Svenskfinland, Finland
Det är en Ros utsprungen arr: M. Jansson

Resting places in the sun (2013) – Carolinae damkör, Lund, Sweden
Bakmes

Nordic Journey Volume III Swedish Folkways and Classic Traditions (2014) –
James D. Hicks, Fredricksburg, USA
A Part of My Heritage, Two Mass Parts

Jubilate (2015 on the extended Spotify version) – Stockholms Gosskör, Stockholm, Sweden
Cantiones De Nativitate

Light of Gold (2015) – Cappella SF, San Francisco, USA
Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming arr: M. Jansson

Aufbruch (2015) – Molto Cantabile, Luzern, Switzerland
Maria (IV)

Frid på jord (2015) – Carolinae damkör, Lund, Sweden
St Staffans visa

ACDA Central Division Conference 2016 Western Michigan University
Cantus Femina & University Chorale (2016) – Cantus Femina, Michigan, USA
Fear Thou Not

Dyrygent I Jej Chór (2016) Skowronki, Poznan, Poland
Bakmes

Contemporary (2016) – Canta Volare, Maastricht, Netherlands
I Never Saw A Moor

LaCappella 2.0 (2016) – LaCappella, Burgholzhausen, Germany
Fear Thou Not

Chantage and the choral music of Mårten Jansson (2017) – Chantage, London, England
Missa Popularis, The Choirmaster’s Burial, Maria (IV), Cantate Domino
Far (number 2 from the I Guds ljus suite), Triptyk, Mörkblå tillit