Klaus Ellerhusen Holm

COMPOSER/SAXOPHONE / CLARINET /

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klaus.e.holm@gmail.com

Klaus Ellerhusen Holm was born in Oslo on July 30, 1979. Currently living in Trondheim and working in the field of contemporary and improvised music as well as the outer regions of jazz. Enjoying and feeling at home in a number of different settings within this environment. 

He started playing the cornet at age six, but soon after changed to the saxophone. He has a bachelor degree from the jazz department at the Trondheim music conservatory and has studied composition at the Norwegian academy of music. He is currently taking a masters degree in composition also at the same institution.

In recent years, he has shifted from primarily being a performer to focusing more and more on composing for other ensembles and musicians. This has resulted in several works for several of the leading Norweigian contemporary music ensembles, such as Tøyen Fil and Klafferi, Ensemble neoN, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, and SiTron. The interchange between performer and composer is important to his practice and feels natural and mutually enriching. He also utilizes improvisation and his background as a performer as a tool and method in my compositional work.

As a composer he strives to create music that is personal and original while also reflecting on aspects of who we are and relating to the society and world we live in. Both as a performer and a composer, he is drawn to the unpolished, unpretentious, and unusual. One of his goals is to infuse some of the energy of free jazz into the frameworks and forms of other genres. His flexibility across different "genres" within a field characterizes his activity as a composer as well as a performer.

Currently the most active projects are: Goose Green (cd Isla Verde 2025 - Nakam Records) Andreas Røysum & Klaus Ellerhusen Holm (cd/vinly Quantum Teleportation 2023 - Nakama Records) Honest John (cd Canarie – Rudi Records, 2014. International Breakthrough - Clean Feed, 2017. Sweet Travels Particular Recordings 2024), Large Unit, led by drummer Paal Nilssen-Love (cd/vinyl/cassette/flexi disc: First Blow, Erta Ale, Rio Fun, Ana, Selected Tracks – PNL records 2014-17) and Ballrogg with Roger Arntzen and David Stäckenas. (cds: Ballrogg – Bolage, 2008; Insomnia – Bolage, 2010; Cabin music – Hubro, 2012; Abaft the Beam - Clean Feed, 2017). He is also working in a duo format with Swedish guitarist David Stackenäs. As well as large formats with Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, where he is a steady workhorse playing works by young Norwegian composers. Among others: Kim Myhr (cd Stems and Cages, Kim Myhr & Jenny Hval– MNJ records, 2010), Øivind Brække (cds: Migrations – MNJ records, 2011),  Motorpsycho with Ståle Storløkken (cd The Death Defying Unicorn – Stickman Records, 2012) and Espen Reinertsen in 2015. In addition there are also some occasional solo performances.

He has performed music in 17 countries, and recent performances include Saalfelden Jazzfestival, Music Unlimited Wels, Portalegre Jazzfestival as well as most of the major Norwegian jazz festivals.

He has also collaborated with, or played in ad hoc settings with: Arild Andresen, Mats Äleklint, Johan Berthling, Xavier Charles, Clare Cooper, Jim Denley, Axel Dörner, Michael Duch, John Edwards, Sidsel Endresen, Sture Ericson, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Frode Gjerstad, Ivar Grydeland, Anders Hana, Dave Holland, Carl Ludwig Hübsch, Terje Isungset, Håkon Kornstad, Ola Kvernberg, Ole Henrik Moe, Matthias Muche, Lars Myrvoll, Kim Myhr, Kjell Nordeson, John Russell, Kari Rønnekleiv, Ignaz Schick, Raymond Strid, Mattias Ståhl, Christian Wallumrød, Stian Westerhus, Joe Williamson, Ingar Zach and Per Zanussi.