BJØRN CHARLES DREYER
Composer and Guitarist
SHORT BIO
Bjørn Charles Dreyer was born in New York on 18 September 1968 and moved to Norway in 1973. He studied classical guitar parallelly playing the electric guitar in several bands as a teenager. Music studies followed in the early 90s alongside performing professionally ever since. Bjørn has a Ph.D. in music performance, participated in more than 150 released albums, and played around 1000 concerts on four continents as a guitarist, artist, or producer. Bjørn changed the musical direction during the 2000s, focusing on composition and sound art, which has resulted in several self-initiated albums. His latest album, Time and Mass, is a solo album recorded in participation with Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.
ABOUT BJORN CHARLES DREYER
Education:
2020: Ph.D. in popular music performance at the University of Agder
2011: Master in music performance at the University of Agder
1988-1991: Music studies at Agder Music Conservatory
1993: Sonology studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music
1994: Pedagogy studies at Agder Music Conservatory
Selected Works:
2024 Sørlandets Art Museum: Researcher, synesthete, and composer. Exploring and searching for an artistic expression based on his own synesthetic experiences, in collaboration with the video and sound artist Olivier Lartillot.
2018- 2024 Unofficial. A specific orchestra. Composer.
Recording an album and performs his works in concert.
2022 Kilden theater, Kristiansand: Composer/music supervisor
Developing musical expression. Premiered in February 2022.
2004-2021 Bjorn Charles Dreyer: Creator, composer, performer, and producer.
Albums:
"Time and Mass": a solo album, (NXN/Naxos) 2021
Westaman: Dreyer, Hagen, Dahlen (Hevhetia) 2014
Boschamaz: "Rød" (Hecca/Division records) 2011
Piston Ltd.: "Domestic Engine" (Hecca/Division records) 2007
Boschamaz: "This is not Sweden" (Hecca/Division records) 2007
1991-2003 Bjorn Charles Dreyer: performing freelance guitarist/hired gun and composer. Participated in over 170 albums and played about 1000 concerts with various bands and artists.
Selected Collaborations:
Xploding Plastix, Mari Boine, Eivind Aarset, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré,
Anneli Drecker, Per Martinsen, Aggie Frost, Erland Dahlen,
Rolf Gupta, Live Maria Roggen, Wibutee
Others:
Deathprod, Ricardo del Pozo, Øyvind Rimbereid, Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode), Kris Kristofferson, Marc Cohn, Lenka Dusilova, Niko Valkeapää, Bertine Zetlitz, Bugge Wesseltoft, Dominik Wania, Thomas Strønen, Anne Grete Preus, Kåre Westerheim, Inga Juuso, Sofia Jannok, Tassili, Tord Gustavsen, Stephan Sundstrøm, Iver Kleive, Madrugada, Morten Abel, Ivar Bøksle, Sigbjørn Nedland, Marius Müller, Scott Gorham/Thin Lizzy, Gergo Borlai, David Kollar, Georg Wadenius, Pär Edwardson, Kjetil Bjørnstad, Annbjørg Lien, Ragnar Bjerkreim, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Stein Torleif Bjella, Ronnie Jacobsen, Gulleiv Wee (September When)
As a composer, selected recent works:
- Unofficial: music for performance (2022)
"Heimanifrå" - a theater play: Composer, musical director (2022)
- «Ryvingen": documentary film, director: Lene Midling-Jensen (2020)
- "Givetian": commissioned work for the unveiling of underwater sculptures by Bård Breivik, Under (2020)
- "Fanfare": commissioned work and concert, the protection of Sjølingstad Uldvarefabrikk (2019)
- "Coexistence": the opening exhibition for the visual artist Tom S. Kosmo (2018)
- "Uranienborg": commissioned work for the opening concert at Mandal Jazz (2015)
-" Samba for voksne": the opening exhibition for the visual artist Susanne Kathlen Mader (2014)
-" Båtservice Verft": commissioned work for a presentation (2012)
Additionally, Bjorn Charles Dreyer composed music for ballets, documentaries, tv-series, and commercials between 1999-and 2011.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
Simplicity. Anti-Design.
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