Pianist, composer, bandleader, educator and tv program host, grown up in the Österlen region of Skåne in South-Eastern Sweden, and later moving to Stockholm. Enjoys a busy and varied musical life, leading the Elise Einarsdotter Ensemble, being responsible for Elise’s Salong at Oktoberteatern and working with a wide range of musicians and choirs, moving across borders of jazz, folk, soul and classical music. She is also a board member of Svensk Musik, and Konstnärliga rådet, Scenkonst Sörmland.

Elise begins to play the piano at the age of six and at fourteen she starts to work as an assistant organist in churches. She discovers improvisation while playing pre- and postludium music. Around this time she hears Leif “Smoke-rings” Andersson’s legendary radio programmes full of jazz, ‘sweet and swing’ and acquires two LP records that become extremely significant for her: Jan Johansson’s and George Riedel’s “Rörelser” (Movements) and Quincy Jones’ “Back at the Chicken Shack”.

Dissatisfied with the Malmö College of Music’s attitude towards improvisation, she chooses in 1974 the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. Workshops with Thelonius Monk and Charles Mingus make a long-lasting impression.

She moves to Stockholm in 1977 and plays with the group Tintomara for five years. During that time she meets bassist, musical collaborator and husband-to-be Olle Steinholtz. They build Elise Einarsdotter Ensemble in 1984.

The group’s musical policy is mainly instrumental until singer Lena Willemark makes her entry. Since then she has collaborated with many of Sweden’s other leading female vocal artists, such as Rigmor Gustafsson, Anna Christofferson and Margareta Bengtson.

International collaborations, concerts and workshops during the years has taken Elise almost all around the globe i.e to most of Europe, and to USA, Ethiopia, India, South Africa, Australia and China.

Elises urge for constant changes has made the collaboration with musicians from a grand diversity of musical traditions the key throughout her career. She has composed regularly for choirs and classical instrumental ensembles, and she has also written theatre music. This love to travel through ever-changing musical landscapes shines with constant presence in her sound.

Awards:

Priser och stipendier i urval:

SKAP´s stipendium för komposition, 2023

Stipendium ur Monica Zetterlunds minnesfond, 2021

Kungliga Musikaliska Akademiens Medalj för Tonkonstens Främjande, 2019

Sveriges Radios Jazzpris, Guldkatten, 2019

Jan Johanssons stipendium, 2007

Stockholms stads hederspris, 1998

LO’s kulturstipendium, 1993

Kristianstad Läns kulturpris, 1989

SKAP´s stipendium för komposition, 1980

DN´s kulturpris Kasper, 1979