Born in Södertälje on the 30th October, 1957, but grew up in Värmland. Inspired by his stepfather Sven Edén’s interest in folk music, he began to play the violin at the age of ten. From 1976 to 1980 he studied musicology and ethnology at Gothenburg University, followed by composition studies at the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo from 1983 to1987.

Mats Edén divides his activities into three areas:
1) teaching. Edén has always been a teacher in different contexts, and since 1992 he has been responsible for teaching the violin and coaching ensembles at the Malmö College of Music
2) performing. Edén mainly plays folk music with the Groupa folk music group, but he also plays in other constellations as well as playing folk music on his own
3) composing. Edén’s ambition is to combine his knowledge of folk music with the contemporary, modernistic music with which he became acquainted through his teachers Olav Anton Thommessen and Lasse Thoresen in Oslo.

Since 1980 Mats Edén has worked as a freelance with Groupa as a fixed base, and he also receives regular commissions in his role of composer. In 1992 he was Composer of the Year at the Siljan Music Festival.

Photo: Kristin Lidell

Visit homepage [In Swedish only]