Sten Hostfalt

Sten Höstfält
Composer Guitarist
Bandleader Producer
Record Label Proprietor
Educator Theorist
Research Scholar

Biography

Sten Hostfalt is a leading innovative guitarist and composer working on the New York music scene of today. He performs with some of the most original, unique voices in modern music and has been called highly exceptional by legendary icons of American Music Jimmy Giuffre, and virtuosic by musical innovator Joe Maneri - Jon Damian, Fresh Music: Explorations with the Creative Workshop Ensemble for Musicians, Artists, and Teachers.

Swedish-born American composer, guitar virtuoso, bassist, electronic instrumentalist, band-leader, producer, label proprietor, educator, theorist, and research scholar Sten Hostfalt's innovative contribution to the expansion of the musical parameter of pitch has been manifested in world premiere solo concert performances of original microtonal works at XXXV Encontres de Compositors at Fundacio' Pilar i Joan Miro', Mallorca Spain, and at New York City's Knitting Factory. As well as through the microtonal large ensemble work Dimensional States for 13 musicians and 2 dancers. Along with documentation in printed book publication features in Dictionnaire des musiques microtonales (1892-2013) by Franck Jedrzejewski [L'Harmattan, France 2014] and Fresh Music: Explorations with The Creative Workshop Ensemble, For Musicians, Artists and Teachers by Jon Damian [YO 2015] ISBN 978-0-9863105-0-8. Library of Congress, control nr. 2015901154.

He made his debut on the early 1980s Scandinavian Progressive DIY scene, before being introduced on the mid-90s New York Jazz scene via apprenticeship in Phil Wilson and Herb Pomeroy's ensembles at Berklee College. Faciliated by concerts, and collaborations with mentors legendary icons of American music, Jimmy Giuffre and Paul Bley at New England Conservatory. And performances with masters of Jazz Gary Burton, Peter Erskine, and Clare Fischer. The NY Times' Peter Watrous, Marcela Breton of Jazz Times, and All Music Guide's David R. Adler enthusiastically featured the Smalls Jazz Club residency, tours and recordings, on which Hostfalt appeared with Guillermo Klein's band alongside new jazz generation luminaries Mark Turner, Chris Cheek, Jeff Ballard, Melvin Butler, and Aaron Goldberg.

After which Hostfalt accepted an offer to work in Europe, with three years of Scandinavian tours, radio broadcasts and recordings with traditional Swedish Jazz orchestra Sandviken Big Band. In support of Rob McConnell, and Bobby Shew and in shared jazz festival events with James Moody, Ray Brown, Phil Woods, Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen, The Woody Herman Big Band and Tower of Power. Enhanced by works as an educator at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the new millennium, brought artist grants from the cultural council of Sweden. This facilitated a bi-continental activity, by which Hostfalt's Paul Bley initiated debut recording as a leader, and his 29 microtonal pieces solo live NYC recording were released on his own Swedish registered label, g-wOw. After which, a gradual, and then eventually permanent New York City-based focus on work as a solo performer and band-leader via his Brooklyn NY registered production label Sonus Rex.

Enthusiastically featured in international press for the past twenty-five years, his, ever since the 2003 debut recording as a leader, initiated by iconic jazz pioneer Paul Bley Mr. Hostfalt's original music has been described as among the most riveting explorations of the microtonal world ever recorded (Signal to Noise), may be considered groundbreaking (Jazz Review), and takes you on a journey to a place where rules simply don't exist and anything is possible (About Jazz).

Embodying a near five-decade contribution to music education in both American and European school systems, initiated through a 1977 jr. high school vocational teacher apprenticeship. Mr Hostfalt is, as an initially largely self-taught musician and composer, come first-generation academic holding B.M., G.D., M.M., and Ed.M degrees in performance, composition and music education from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and Columbia University. As a NY State K-12 certified music teacher, he has served the NYC Department of Education in various roles since 2006. In addition to being a music instructor at Columbia University's school of education, Teachers College since 2020.

Prior academic appointments include the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, and The City University of New York. As well as, as a lecturer at The New School of the Arts at University of Florida, Miami FL., at Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and Colegio Ward and Centro Cultural San Martin, Buenos Aires Argentina. As a New York Jazz Academy faculty member he has performed in educational concerts at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium NYC.