STEINAR AADNEKVAM
​Steinar Aadnekvam (b. 1984) is a versatile guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer with a rich international background and a wide-ranging career in jazz and world music. Raised across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg, he developed an early passion for global sounds, which led to formal studies at Södra Latins Gymnasium and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. There, he studied under influential mentors such as Thomas Wixtröm, Mikke Rönnkvist, Andreas Öberg, Sten Hostfalt, and Alvaro Is-Rojas. At the age of 21, he traveled to Mumbai to study with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, later relocating to northeastern Brazil, where his deep engagement with the local music scene profoundly shaped his style—infusing it with Afro-Brazilian rhythms, melodies, and improvisational nuance.
As a solo artist, Aadnekvam has released six critically acclaimed albums. Additionally he has participated on numerous recordings with other artists. Notably, he is also the founder and bandleader of FREEDOM TREE — a boundary-pushing ensemble that has released three albums since 2016 and toured across 25 countries on four continents, performing at major festivals, clubs, and on radio and television.
Aadnekvam’s work spans multiple roles including sideman, composer, arranger, producer, and music director. His work has been supported by leading cultural institutions, including Fond for lyd og bilde (Norway), the Swedish Arts Council, the Swedish Cultural Council, and STIM. He has appeared at many of the world’s leading jazz and world music events, including Molde Jazz (Norway), Pori Jazz (Finland), Jazz Baltica, Jazzahead (Germany), Jazz na Starówce (Poland), Uppsala Guitarfestival (Sweden), Rigas Ritmi (Latvia), Auvernier Jazz (Switzerland), APAP New York, NAMM Show (USA), Baku Jazz Festival (Azerbaijan), and Cape Town Jazz Festival (South Africa). In Sweden, he has collaborated with key venues and organizations including Fasching, Hesselby Slott, F12 Gruppen, Debaser, Scandic Hotels, and more.
In addition to his performance work, Aadnekvam is a dedicated educator with extensive experience in both private instruction and group masterclasses. His teaching credientials include institutions such as Saulkrasti Jazz Week (Latvia), Conservatório de Música de Pernambuco (Brazil), Høyskolen i Vest (Norway), Cape Town Jazz (South Africa), Södra Latins Gymnasium (Sweden), Instituto Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), among others.
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