Composer/ Drummer
Education
1993-1999 NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Jazzlinja – The Jazz Academy
Major in Composition
20th century music in historical perspective
The music of our time in a global perspective
Administration and management in music life
Social anthropology
Cultural understanding
Sociology; Introduction to sociology.
Psychology: Introduction to psychology
Subject didactics in music
Pedagogy primary and intermediate subjects
UiO: Examen philosophicum
Positions
2009- Professor at The Norwegian Academy of Music (50%)
Composition interpretation for the drum -ensemble Extended Ground
Supervisor master grade students
Percussion teacher
Career:
Since 1998, Thomas Pohlitz Strønen has composed, recorded and toured large parts of the world with his own ensembles.
He has led the following ensembles:
Food with Iain Ballamy (UK) since 1998 and released 8 records with musicians like Nils Petter Molvær, Christian Fennesz (Au), Eivind Aarset, Mats Eilertsen, Arve Henriksen and Prakash Sontakke (In).
Parish with Bobo Stenson (S), Fredrik Ljungkvist (S) and Mats Eilertsen
Meadow with John Taylor (UK) and Tore Brunborg
Humcrush with Ståle Storløkken and Sidsel Endresen
Bayashi with Vidar Johansen and Bjørnar Andresen
Time is a blind guide with Ayumi Tanaka (Jp), Leo Sander (S), Håkon Aase og Ole Morten Vågan
Tanaka/ Lea/ Strønen with Ayumi Tanaka (Jp) and Marthe Lea
Et ørlite beat/ A tiny little beat with Henriette Eilertsen, Espen Reinertsen, Kalle Nyberg, Heida Karine Mobeck, Veslemøy Narvesen, Ståle Storløkken, Jo David Lysne, Mathias Jin Budtz and Marikken Heitkøtter
The ensembles have released a total of 23 records and toured 70 countries.
Strønen also plays in Maria Kannegaard trio, Arild Andersen trio, Mats Eilertsen trio, John Surmans Words Unspoken, and his solo project Pohlitz.
Throughout his career, Strønen has played with musicians such as John Taylor, Christian Fennesz, Bobo Stenson, Sidsel Endresen, Eivind Aarset, Nils Petter Molvær, John Surman, Craig Taborn, Chris Potter, Jorge Rossy, Jim O ‘Rourke, Koichi Makigami, Barry Guy, Ståle Storløkken, Iain Ballamy, Christian Wallumrød, Harmen Franje, Maria Kannegaard, Prakash Sontakke, Arve Henriksen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Ernst Reijseger, Tomasz Stanko, Ingebrigt Flaten, Morten Qvenild,
Tore Brunborg, Anders Jormin, Per Jørgensen, Jon Balke, Hans Magnus ‘Snah’ Ryan, Fredrik Ljungkvist, Torben Snekkestad, Kit Downes, Lucy Railton, Sinikka Langeland, Mathias Eick, Trygve Seim, Bjørnar Andresen, Vidar Johansen, London Sinfonietta, Emulsion Sinfonietta, a.o.
Strønen has been associated with the German record company ECM Records since 2005 and has so far released and participated in a number of releases over the past twenty years
His latest record for ECM Records is a solo/ duo album (curated by Manfred Eicher) with Craig Taborn, Chris Potter, Jorge Rossy and Sinikka Langeland. He is also currently working on a new
record with his ensemble Time is a blind guide. (in the last year he has participated in both Sinikka Langeland’s and John Surman’s releases on Ecm Records)
Thomas Strønen has been commissioned to compose for Kongsberg jazz festival, Cheltenham jazz festival, Reading Fringe Festival, Cheltenham Contemporary Music Festival, Connexions
(BBC/ NRK), Oslo World a.o.
He has composed for theatre, dance performances, etc. at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet on two occasions, Bærum Kulturhus and others. Strønen won the composer competition “The Sound of
Kilden” and composed the signature music for the Kilden concert hall in Kristiansand. In 2021, Strønen was nominated for work of the year by the Composers Association and in both 2020 and
2021, he won the Norwegian Grammy with the Mats Eilertsen trio and the Maria Kannegaard trio respectively. In 2022 he received the DnB prize, Kongsberg Jazzfestival’s major musician prize
and in 2023 he was Artist in Residence at Kongsberg jazz festival as well as at Kampen jazz.
Strønen participates as a composer and performer on more than 80 record releases
