Our Team
Gisle Johnsen
Founder and President
A veteran of both the music and tech industries, Gisle has been a trailblazer for decades, innovating new technologies and businesses with successful exits. Gisle co-founded Bergen Live, the biggest Norwegian concert promoter, launching it with a Rolling Stones concert in Norway, creating sold-out shows with Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Rihanna and others, and exiting with a Live Nation buyout in 2020. From 1995-2019 he was Head of the Board for Bergenfest, one of the biggest music festivals in Norway. In addition to his businesses with live music, Gisle invented several music software programs since the 90’s. Gisle co-founded MusIT in 2000, introducing Musicator to the global market, -the first CD-rom music program to be exported to the Chinese education system. Gisle founded Grieg Music Education in 2005, developing Music Delta, an interactive learning platform and celebrated on “The World Finance 100 List” in 2013, presenting the 100 new global Business elite of the year. In 2015 he founded oiid, the first stem-based music player for phones / tablets, and together with Mika Shino and Nikolai Johnsen he founded ito in 2020. Gisle has authored several books, 3 musicals and multiple record albums.
Michelle Menzel, COO, USA
Michelle has nearly twenty years experience in music, international development, education, and nonprofit governance. She started her career in the independent music industry, where she focused on artist and label relations, management, and marketing. She then moved to the public sector, working at the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Bank, and Amnesty International. She specialized in international education development, culture and governance. In addition to ito, Michelle leads the outreach effort for International Jazz Day at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
Nikolai Johnsen, Co-Founder, Head of Product
Nikolai has over a decade of experience working in various international digital music educational initiatives. He helped to develop the trailblazing software, Music Delta, one of the first cloud-based music education platforms, and he participated in the development of the first digital initiative for Bergenfest UNG which provided 10,000 local children and middle school students with an immersive and educational concert experience. Nikolai was a coordinator for Esperanza Spalding’s live-streamed ‘Exposure’ project, which won the Jazz FM Award for “Best Digital Initiative Of The Year” in 2018. Nikolai is also a musician, producer, and songwriter
Sindre Sørensen, CTO
Through his consultancy company, Sørensen EDB, Sindre has delivered systems and software services to a variety of clients and startups for over a decade. Sindre has brought his expertise in programming languages, hardware, and open source systems to deliver top-level information technology services to public education institutions, the Norwegian state, publicly funded art institutions, independent artists, and more. Sindre is also a tea enthusiast and is a partner in a successful tea import and sales company.
Gaute Aadnesen, Director of Programs, Norway
Gaute comes to ito from over a decade as the Communication Manager and Business developer at the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. A true creator, he has a Cand.mag. in Sociology from the University of Bergen, and has previously held positions in marketing and communications in entities as various as Kronengruppen AS and Viking Football Club ASA, as well as production and filming roles for Phantom film AS and Bulldozer film AS. Gaute also has a background in education, as headmaster at the Media High School in Stavanger and Noroff University College.
Gaute is a true creator, with great strength in business and concept development, as well as music, education, and commercial product development and placement.
Leo Añorve Music Director, Mexico
Professor in music education with more than 20 years of experience as a music producer and composer for films, documentaries, and advertising in various genres and styles. Has participated in more than 30 albums, composed 47 recorded songs, and released two solo albums and various singles. As a performer he has participated in more than 800 concerts and festivals in Mexico, Germany, Holland, United States and Norway. Has collaborated and shared the stage with artists such as Manu Chao, Save Ferris, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Café Tacvba, Molotov and Charly García. Leo has participated as a global ambassador for The Non Violence Project, ambassador of “Bolas En Juego” 2012 campaign for testicular cancer prevention, and was appointed in 2010 by the Mexican Youth Institute IMJUVE as "Caretaker of the observatory for the human rights of young people" by CNDH and UNFPA. In 2016, Leo founded Charamusca Music, a record label created to spread musical projects in indigenous languages.
Jonathan Duran, Program Director, Mexico
Jonathan is a Mexican, but has lived in Norway for fifteen years. He has been running businesses in both Mexico and Norway. In 2017 he started working with oiid. He was responsible for all the oiid activities in Mexico. In 2020 he moved back to Mexico, to work with his family’s company. Now he is also back in the education and music business, working for ito as a program director.
Our Board
Gisle Johnsen, Founder, President and Chair of the Board
Stein Erik Bjørnsen, Director
Stein Erik Bjørnsen, Director
Jetshop: Director of Board (May 2021 - )
Bergans: Chair of Board (2017-2021)
Vulkan Travel Group: CEO (2012-2018)
Europris: CEO (2009-2012)
Smart Club: CEO (1999-2007)
G-Sport: Director of Retail (1997-1999)
Telenor Telehuset AS: CEO (1995-1997)
Elkjøp, Norway: CEO (1994-1995)
Ikea: Warehouse Manager ( 1989-1994)
Word on the street…
“This is going to change the way we listen to music.”
—Wayne Shorter, Grammy-award winning jazz saxophonist & composer
““ito is the ideal music educational tool that I wish I had all these years teaching music!” ”
“Ito is an unparalleled platform for music fans. It allows you to dive into a song to see how it Is built, and then make it your own. I recommend ito as an incredibly useful tool for any music lover or music learner.”
— Alegre Corea, Grammy-award winning guitarist
“ito is THE tool for students, teachers and fans. Anyone who loves music will love ito.”