Maarten Ornstein

Maarten Ornstein is a Dutch musician based in Amsterdam. He plays tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet and also works as a composer and arranger. On occasion he plays tarogato, electric saxophone, MPC and laptop computers. A musician of astonishing diversity, he leads the free funk ensemble DASH! and performs as a soloist. Additionally, he plays with baroque lutist Mike Fentross, Lebanese singer Rima Khcheich, poet and singer Jeannine Valeriano. and Icelandic pianist Sunna Gunnlaugs. Maarten Ornstein endorses Légère reeds and is a member of Splendor Amsterdam.

Both in his playing and composing, Maarten Ornstein is always looking for new challenges, people to work with, rules to break and boundaries to cross. Exploration, mastering and mixing of new genres is at the heart of his musical life, which results in a huge diversity in his musical output. But regardless of the genre, his voice on his instrument is always instantly recognisable. He combines explosive virtuosity with a strong lyrical talent and the ability to make every note count.

Contact; info [at] maartenornstein.com

(picture by Deirdre Daly)