MUSIKKFORENINGEN NIDARHOLM (Noruega)

Director:
ESPEN ANDERSEN

Band profile

The band is based in Trondheim - Norway's third largest city and located in the centre of the country. In Trondheim, as in the rest of Norway, there is a strong tradition of local musical bands for children and adults. The city's acclaimed professional military band provides an inspiration to the other bands - and the interest in music is such that the city hosts an annual national wind instrument competition.
The Musikkforeningen Nidarholm participates in this competition every year and was recently promoted to the first section.
The band was officially founded just 35 years ago - but it is built on a much older musical tradition. It was originally part of a local association but is now independent. Its members are aged between 18 and 55 and the average age is 27.

Director profile

Espen Andersen was born in Telemark in1969 and works as a director, teacher, and trombone player. He has always been closely associated with bands and performed his military service in the band of royal guard. Later he continued his studies in the Trondheim school of music and the Trøndelag conservatory - where he studied under Olav Trondsethås, Arne Johansen, and Bjørn Sagstad. As a trombonist, he has played with the Trøndelag military band, the Trondheim symphony orchestra, and the Trondheim theatre. He is also a regular member of the Trondheim trombone quartet.
He teaches in the music department of Trondheim university and in the city music school. His has wide experience directing metal and woodwind bands. He has directed numerous interpretations of the 1812 Overture in Kristiansten fort - and is frequently invited to be a jury member in musical competitions. He has been directing the Musikkforeningen Nidarholm since 1996.