Matre studied composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music from 1999 to 2005 with teachers such as Bjørn Kruse, Olav Anton Thommessen, Lasse Thoresen and Henrik Hellstenius.
Matre has written music for a wide variety of settings from chamber ensembles to symphonic orchestras.
2015 saw Matre winning the TONO Composer’s Prize at the Spellemannprisen Awards, the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy, for the release Ørjan Matre: PreSage & Violin Concerto with Peter Herresthal and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.
From 2010 to 2012, Matre was the focal point of the Music Information Centre Norway’s INTRO-Composer – and international launch programme for young composers.
[3] Matre’s works have been performed domestically and internationally at festivals and events including the Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Nordic Music Days, Sound Scotland, Warsaw Autumn, Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik, BBC Promenade Concerts and Darmstadt Ferienkurse.