The Norwegian Wind Ensemble

THE NORWEGIAN WIND ENSEMBLE is regarded as an orchestra for the whole of the Østfold region in south-eastern Norway, and holds a unique place in the cultural milieu of the area. It is the only civil ensemble of its kind in Norway – comprised of 24 of the country's foremost professional musicians. The ensemble's high level of quality and creativity attracts guest conductors and soloists from all over the world. The ensemble is based in Halden, and with a history dating back to 1734, is the oldest continuously operating orchestra in Norway.
  Over the course of many years, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble has evolved from being a military band to becoming a genre-crossing orchestra that delivers the highest quality in all styles, though with a particular focus on being innovative in the areas of Early Music and Real-time music.
  As the oldest orchestra in Norway, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble chooses to immerse itself in historical performance practices, focusing on the time period from the Renaissance to Viennese Classicalism. The combination of authentic and modern instruments gives the ensemble a unique sonic profile which adds a freshness to well-known works from this period.
  The Norwegian Wind Ensemble has in recent years paved the way, both domestically and internationally, for a new musical expression with improvisation as a core element – always using classical music as the framework. Real-time music is music created live in the moment, here and now, and which can never be repeated. Their commitment to this outlook has led to the ensemble's great success on the German concert scene.
  In addition to these two main focus areas, the ensemble performs several concerts with a range of different styles every year – everything from opera to family concerts and other types of light productions. The Norwegian Wind Ensemble is also the main orchestra for Opera Østfold's performances at the Fredriksten Fortress in Halden, and they also go on tour for Den kulturelle skolesekken, a national professional arts and culture initiative for school children.
  The ensemble regularly records albums that document their artistic platform, especially within their main areas of creative focus. These include Messiah – with the BBC singers (2016), The Mission (2014), The Brass From Utopia – A Frank Zappa Tribute (2013) and several Oscar Borg productions.