Mogens Pedersøn began his career as a musician at the court as a boy chorister in the cantorium and an apprentice instrumentalist with Melchior Borchgrevinck. In 1599-1600 he went on a study trip to Venice, and in 1603 he was engaged as an instrumentalist. Two years later he again travelled to Venice and remained there for four and a half years. His career as an instrumentalist continued until the outbreak of the Kalmar War in 1611, when he was sent on study leave to the court of James I in London for three years.
Mogens Pedersøn's career culminated in 1618, when he became the first native Danish musician to be appointed vicekapelmester, and he kept this post until his death.
Today we know Mogens Pedersøn as a composer in more or less all the music genres cultivated at the court. He published two collections of five-part madrigals in 1608 and 1611 and a couple of three-part madrigals in 1619. He stands today as a central figure in the Danish musical life of the age of Christian IV with his large collection of sacred music, the Pratum Spirituale from 1620. The book included a five-part mass, adapted to the Danish liturgy, and a large number of choral settings with Danish texts as well as Latin and Danish responsoria and three Latin motets.
In addition Mogens Pedersøn composed instrumental music, and today we have the most popular dance music of the period represented by two incomplete pavans for consort ensemble.