The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces is among the foremost military orchestras, with international acclaim for its high musical level. A Tribute to the Northern Winds is a collection of great Scandinavian original works – including a trumpet concerto featuring the phenomenal Tine Thing Helseth.
Tine Thing in a jazzy trumpet concerto
Tine Thing Helseth is now the most sought after trumpet soloist in Europe, and this winter she gave her debut recital in Carnegie Hall. She shines in the trumpet concerto of composer and jazz pianist Jukka Linkola. The music is playful and virtuosic, it moves between atmospheres of blues and more urban settings. In his attractive writing, Aulis Sallinen incorporates the Finnish passion for tango with elegance and style in his piece, raising the temperature even further.
Grand pieces
The Stabsarabesque was written for the Staff Band in 1974, and was to become one of Thommessen’s earliest breakthroughs as a composer. Fanfare and Choral by Hovland is well known both in the version for symphony orchestra and in this original layout for symphonic band. Hugo Alfvén is among the most important Swedish composers, and in his Festival Overture is an elegant and heartfelt declaration of love to the folk music of his home country.
The Staff Band and Ole Kristian Ruud
The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces Norway’s largest professional wind band, employing 39 full-time musicians. The band is based in Oslo and is the most prestigious of the bands of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Staff Band has made several recordings over the past years, and has consistently received critical acclaim. Ruud, chief conductor since 2006, is highly regarded for his work and numerous recordings, including Grieg and Tveitt with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. Together they form a versatile and highly developed musical centre at their home in Ridehuset in Akershus fortress.
