Sigmund Jarle Stai (1930 - 2001) was an organist and teacher of music. Upon receiving his teaching credentials in 1957, he took lessons from both Arild Sandvold and Conrad Baden at the Music Conservatory in Oslo, where he completed his higher education as an organist and his studies as a voice teacher in 1961.
From 1961 to 1983, Stai was head of the Music Department at the Sund County College, and was employed as the organist and conductor for the Sakshaug Church Choir since 1962. He led several large performances of masses, cantatas and oratories.
His activities as a composer are most closely associated with music for church, including works for organ and choir, as well as chorale preludes, partitas, folk music arrangements and cantatas. He also produced a number of works for song and piano.
He received several commissions: Dette er dagen, cantata for soloists, recitation, choir, organ and orchestra for the 800-year jubilee of the Sakshaug church, Den dag kjem aldri for the Guldberg Academic Choir's 70-year jubilee, Hymne for the 110-year jubilee of Steinkjer's male song organization, and has written a work Til åpning for the opening of the Inderøy Kulturhus.
In 1985, Stai was awarded first prize in a county composition competition in Nord-Trøndelag and, in 1990, he received third prize in the national Kjerulf Competition.