Jan Fredrik Christiansen was born in Lebesby, Norway. According to his own account, his first real trumpet teacher was Professor Harry Kvebæk, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra He later studied with William J. Overton, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Adolph Herseth, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From 1966 to 2007, he was a member of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, first as co-principal/third trumpet and from 1973 to 2007 as Principal. During his years in the Oslo Philharmonic, he took part in more or less all of the orchestra’s CD recordings and all the tours abroad.

Jan has appeared as a soloist with the orchestra a number of times, performing Haydn, Hummel and Arutiunian of course. Very interesting was his first performance of Olav Anton Thommessen’s Trumpet Concerto “The Second Creation”, celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Foreningen Ny Musikk (New Music Foundation). In 1997, he played Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Orchestra, with Leif Ove Andsnes and Mariss Jansons during the Oslo Philharmonic tour to Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China.

In 1995, Jan was the only musician from Norway to be invited to join World Orchestra for Peace, an orchestra put together by Sir George Solti to celebrate United Nations’ 50th anniversary. During the years with this orchestra, he also played in Germany, England and Russia, but then with Valerij Gergijev as conductor.

He was Trumpet Professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music until 2013 and has also been a regular member of the contemporary music group Oslo Sinfonietta since 1989.

Since he retired from the Oslo Philharmonic in 2007, Jan has had a wide range of free-lance assignments in Norway and abroad, both as a musician and pedagogue. He has played with almost all orchestras and professional bands in Norway and also appeared for one month with the HPAC orchestra, Hyogo Japan. He has given a number of church concerts in Copenhagen, Denmark and, not to forget, has worked several years as a teacher and soloist at Summer Music on the Shannon in Ireland. Notable engagements also include the post of the visiting professor at Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland and the conservatories in Leipzig, Germany and Udine, Italy.

Recordings:

Missa da Tromba. Norwegian Music for Trumpet and Organ. Lindberg Lyd 2L52SACD with professor Terje Winge

Okna – Fenster – for Trumpet and Organ. Hyperion 04-0615HYP with Halgeir Schiager

Duets for Trumpet and Trombone, in cooperation with Aline Nistad:

J. B.de Boismortier: 9 Sonatas arranged for trumpet and trombone

Norsk Musikforlag (ISMN 979-0-065-12072-0)

J. S. Bach: The Best of Bach – unknown gems for trumpet and trombone

Norsk Musikforlag (ISMN 979-0-065-12654-8)

As principal in Oslo Philharmonic, Jan participated in the recording of 40–50 CDs.