About ANDRÉ STORENG - Associate Musician - Band Co-Ordinator
Musician, band leader, piano entertainer, record producer, music arranger, theater supervisor, choir instructor & director. This man has many strings on his lyre!
ANDRÉ STORENG is the epitome of musicianship and professionalism. Even as a child, he showed great promise, as his interest and early skills in music began to be realized and nurtured. He’s been working professionally for over twenty years, and has earned the respect and admiration of fellow musicians and audiences, alike!
André’s musical background includes the Heggen College's 3-year Music Curriculum, plus 2 years of study in the Musicians' Education Programme at The Norwegian Institute for Stage and Studio (NISS), Oslo. Alongside his professional work, André has been choir instructor and director for “deKor”, the past four years.
André and Raye’s paths crossed when Raye conducted a Gospel choir workshop weekend in André’s hometown of Finnsnes, in the most northern region of Norway. This was in the mid-1990’s. André was impressed and inspired by what he exper- ienced that weekend, and promised himself that “someday” he and Raye Walter would work together!
Totally unaware of this, Raye was - during the same period of time - praying to meet an exceptional music collaborator, who shared his passion and his vision for vocal & choral music. Little did either of them know that the realization of both their aspirations would indeed come to fruition - some 10-15 years later - in the form of this workshop choir project!
Theirs is proving to be an "exciting and dynamic collaboration", says Raye Walter. He continues, "I and Gospel Central are extremely blessed to have this man with us, and I am happy and privileged to call André Storeng my friend!"
GOSPEL CENTRAL IS GRATIFIED THAT ANDRÉ HAS GATHERED SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST TALENTS AMONG OLSO MUSICIANS TO ACCOMPANY THE PROJECT CHOIR. THEIR DYNAMIC ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION IS A DEFINING FACTOR IN THE GOSPEL CENTRAL CONCERT EXPERIENCE!
MEET...
T H E P R E M I E R E B A N D
DRUMS - Bernt
BERNT ROAR BAARDE - Originally from Haddal, in Sunnmřre, one of the famous fjord regions of western Norway. Bernt has lived and studied in Kristiansand, in the south of the country, in recent years. There, he obtained his music education and degree from The Conservatory in Kristiansand; one of the leading music institutions in Norway.
Bernt has gained a solid background and exceptional experience within a broad spectrum of music genres, and continues to do so. This has afforded him prime engagements in a variety of music settings: from jazz / rock duos to symphonic orchestra.
BASSES - Glenn
GLENN PHILLIP NILSEN – Has a strong music education background. He has studied at Toneheim People’s College and the University of Oslo. Glenn has received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from The Conservatory in Kristiansand; majoring in Music Arranging and Composition. He also gained his Master of Arts Degree from the same renowned institution.
Glenn is, today, a sought-after free-lance musician in Oslo and is a dynamic instrumentalist in a wide range of music forums: stage show and theater, Rock, Metal, Jazz, Fusion, Pop and others.
GUITARS - Dan
DAN JOHNSON – A popular free-lance guitarist in Oslo. He is a studio musician, as well as a notable live-music performer. Dan’s stage roster includes everything from headliner musicals - such as The Lion King, Jungle Book, Starlight Express, to name but a few - to big band, Jazz, Blues, and Pop settings.
With natural talent and dexterity, Dan honed his abilities through studies at the 3-year Music Curriculum at Heggen Vocational College, plus two years’ study at Oslo’s popular NISS – The Norwegian Institute for Stage and Studio. A true professional.
LEIF BRĹTEN – the multi-talented audio specialist from Sarpsborg, Ostfold, south of Oslo. Leif is a recording studio engineer, a multi-faceted musician, producer / arranger, songwriter, choir director, and music educator. Leif is yet another of those unique individuals that Gospel Central has the great privilege to have onboard!
Leif has, himself, been directing choirs for the past 22 years, and has been the driving force behind the promotion of Gospel choral music, in the Ostfold region for - at least - the last 15 of those. Leif runs a thriving audio production company (see our Community page), and has been teaching music at Haugetun People’s College, in Fredrikstad, for nearly 10 years.
Leif introduced himself to Raye during one of the Skjaergĺrds Gospel Festivals, in Porsgrunn (Norway), in the mid-90’s, and invited Raye to visit Sarpsborg, for a choir workshop week- end. And from that brief verbal exchange, a strong and long-standing collaboration and friendship has developed. Leif is a vital partner in the Gospel Central project.
