OPUS 82 (Noruega)

Director:
SVERRE STAKSTON OLSRUD

Band profile

Opus 82 was founded as a concert band in 1982. It aims to offer young musicians in Oslo an interesting alternative to the existing bands. The band has set itself the highest levels of technical excellence and is constantly looking for new and interesting musical projects. Its repertoire is very wide and includes both contemporary and traditional music, as well as pieces for orchestra, opera and popular music.
The band is formed of young amateur musicians and teaching professionals. Some of the teachers have received their musical training in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France, and Hungary. Many of the young players have won regional and national awards as soloists and chamber group players. The band is especially famous for training young talent. Former members now include the trombone soloist at the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, and the clarinet soloist with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, and the director of the Chick Corea and Pat Metheny band.
In the Norwegian national band competition, the band won eighth place in the honor section in 2001, won the first section in 2000, took fourth place in the first section in 1999, and third place in the first section in 1998.

Director profile

Sverre Stakston Olsrud was born in Oslo in 1967. He is the euphonium soloist with the Norwegian Army Staff Band in Oslo. He studied for four years at the Norwegian State Academy of Music and graduated with top grades in 1991. He began his career as a euphonium soloist in 1992 and quickly received excellent reviews in Norway and abroad. Olsrud performs widely as a soloist and has a very extensive repertoire. He has performed with most of the professional bands and orchestras in Norway, and has performed several solos on television and radio. He is often contracted for solo work with the best amateur brass and wind bands in Norway.
Several works for the euphonium has been written for him, and he has a great interest in finding new music for his instrument.
In recent years, he has been a featured soloist in several festivals and conferences in the USA and Europe. He was given the title Euphonium Player of the Year in 1999. He was a finalist in the world competition in Guebwillier, France 1997. Besides playing, he conducts and teaches. In Norway, he gives many master classes. He teaches at the Oslo Music Academy.