2009 Norwegian National Championships - First Division preview and prediction

4BR casts its eye over the 12 bands hoping to make the step up and join the Elite bands in Norway this weekend.

First Division: 

Adjudicators: Karl Ole Midtbo, Cathrine Winnes
Saturday 7th February (9.00)

Once again Norway leads the banding world in the way in which they have set up their First Division. 

Here are 12 quality bands that are currently one step below true Elite level, although all have ambitions to gain entry to the select club above them. 

Keen contest

This makes for a very keen contest of competitive wits, with conductors eager to show off the strengths of their bands without leaving their weaknesses too over exposed in the process.

Some of the own choices are therefore much more subtle than they may first appear – although a few do bite off more than they can chew. It does make for a contest of vibrant ambition though. 

Hard to pick a winner

With Oslo Brass Band promoted to the Elite Division and replaced by Tertnes, the balance of the section has been maintained. It is hard to pick a winner.

That said, the likes of Tomra and Sola in particular will want to push Sorum for the chance of gaining the priceless automatic promotion spot (Sorum lost out to Sandefjord late last year in what was a play off of sorts on ‘Spectrum’ to see if they would gain promotion at their expense to the Elite level), but Tertnes have had the experience and that could be crucial.

Sola meanwhile will be looking to further boost their form after gaining a fine 2nd place at the SIDDIS contest ahead of Sorum, whilst Askoy will be hoping for a better return this year than their 9th place 12 months ago.

Last year there was little to choose in the adjudicator’s eyes between the likes of Oster and Radoy (joint 5th) and Jolster and Tertnes Amatorkorps (joint 7th), whilst Laksevag will want to improve on their poor outing too.

Oskog and Kopervik Musikkorps will be full of confidence after gaining promotion from the Second Division last year, so an interesting contest is in store.

4BR Prediction:

A real hard one to call this – it could well go any which way you choose.

We always stick our necks out though and we opt for a quick return to the Elite level for Tertnes, closely followed by Sorum and Tomra. Sola should be in the mix, but we have a sneaky suspicion that both Orskog and Kopervik may well spring a surprise or two.  Our dark horse is Jolster.

1. Tertnes
2. Sorum
3. Tomra
4. Sola
5. Orskog
6. Kopervik

Dark horse: Jolster     

Askøy Brass Band
Conductor:  Egil Magnussen 

National Record:
2008: 9th (Egil Magnussen)
2007: =4th (Egil Magnussen)
2006: 6th (Helge Haukas)
2005: 3rd (Egil Magnussen)
2004: 3rd (Tom Brevik)
2003: 3rd
2002: 2nd in Second Division (prom)
2001: 6th
2000: 11th
1999: 3rd
1998: 7th
1997: 7th
1996: 2nd
1995: 7th
1994: 10th

Last Year: 9th

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Chivalry
2007: Partita
2006: Journey into Freedom
2005: Tallis Variations 

Jølster Musikklag
Conductor: Arvid Anthun 

National Record:
2008: =7th (Arvid Anthun)
2007: Winners of Second Division (Arvid Anthun) (prom)
2006: Winners of Third Division (Arvid Anthun) (prom)
2005: 4th (Arvid Anthun)
2004: 2nd in Fourth Division (Arvid Anthun) (prom)
2003: 9th in Third Division (rel)
2002: 7th
2001: 4th
2000: 6th

Overall Record:
Second Division winners 2007
Third Division winners 1993, 2006

Last Year: =7th

Own Choice Selections:
2008: Pageantry
2007: The Lord is King
2006: Voyage of Discovery
2005: Nautalis 

Kopervik Musikkorps:
Conductor: Simon Dobson 

National Record:
2008: 2nd in Second Division (Simon Dobson) (prom)
2007: 2nd in Third Division (John Philip Hannevik) (prom)
2006: Winners of Fourth Division (Selmer Simonsen) (prom)

Overall Record:
Winners Third Division 1989
Last Year: 2nd in Second Division

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Tallis Variations
2007: Trittico
2006: Voyage of Discovery - Goff Richards 

Laksevåg Musikkforening
Conductor: Tom Brevik

National Record:
2008: 11th (Tom Brevik)
2007: =4th (Tom Brevik)
2006: 4th in Third Division (Tom Brevik) (promoted to First Division)
2005: 3rd (Tom Brevik)
2004: 5th (Tom Brevik)
2003: 7th
2002: 12th in Second Division (rel)
2001: 6th in Second Division
2000: 2nd

Last Year: 11th 

Own Choice Selections:
2008: Festival Music
2007: A Kensington Concerto
2006: The Land of the Long White Cloud
2005: Salute to Youth  

Oster Brass
Conductor: Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen 

National Record:
2008: =5th (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
2007: 7th (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
2006: 9th (Reid Gilje)
2005: 5th (Reid Gilje)
2004: 10th (Oddmund Hjartaker)
2003: 11th
2002: 10th
2001: 8th
2000: 10th
1999: 7th

Overall Record:
Second Division winners 1982, 1983, 1992, 1995
Last Year: =5th

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Dances and Arias
2007: Forest of Dean
2006: Variations on an Enigma
2005: English Heritage 

Radøy Brass
Conductor: Tormod Flaten 

National Record:
2008: =5th (Tormod Flaten)
2007: 6th (Gareth Pritchard)
2006: 8th (Gareth Pritchard)
2005: 8th (Gareth Pritchard)
2004: 2nd (Gareth Pritchard)
2003: 5th
2002: 9th
2001: 5th
2000: 5th
1999: 5th

Overall Record:
First Division winners 1994, 1997
Second Division winners 1988, 1990, 1991

Last Year: =5th 

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Diversions on a BassTheme
2007: Montage
2006: Odyssey
2005: London Overture

Sola Brass Band
Conductor: Selmer Simonsen

National Record:
2008: 4th (John Philip Hannevik)
2007: 12th (Christopher Evans)
2006: 4th (Rune Gundersen)
2005: 10th in Elite Section (Benny Wiame)
2004: Winners of First Division (Steve Bastable)
2003: 4th in First Division (Steve Bastable)
2002: 6th in First Division (N/K)
2001: 3rd in First Division (Russell Gray)
2000: Winners in 2nd Division (Russell Gray)
1999: 9th (Melvin White)
1998: N/K
1997: 12th in First Division (T. Anundsen)
1996: 3rd in First Division (N/K)
1995: 4th in First Division (Melvin White)
1994: 7th  (Melvin White)
1993: 7th  (James Scott)

Overall Record:
Winners of First Division 2004
Winners of Second Division 2000

Last Year: 4th

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Tallis Variations
2007: Variations on an Enigma
2006: Dances and Arias
2005: Between the Moon and Mexico 

Sørum Musikklag
Conductor: Christian Tenfjord 

National Record:
2008: 2nd (Christian Tenfjord)
2007: =8th (Christian Tenfjord)
2006: 2nd in Second Division (Erling J. Myrseth) (prom)
2005: 11th in First Division (Erling J. Myrseth)
2004: =7th (Trond Elnes)
2003: 7th
2002: 7th
2001: 2nd in 2nd Division
2000: Joint 5th in 2nd Division

Overall Record:
Winners of Third Division 1994
Last Year: 2nd

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
2007: A Lowry Sketchbook
2006: Trittico
2005: Spectrum   

Tertnes Brass
Conductor: Gary Peterson 

National Record:
2008: 10th in Elite Division (Bjørn Breistein) (rel)
2007: 7th (Bjørn Breistein)
2006: 8th (Bjørn Breistein)
2005: Winners of First Division (Bjorn Breistein)
2004: 10th in Elite Section (Bjorn Breistein)
2003: Winners of First Division  (John Hinkley)
2002: 10th in Elite Division
2001: 7th in Elite Division
2000: 6th in Elite Division
1999: 2nd in 1st Division

Overall Record:
Winners First Division 2003, 2005
Winners Second Division 1984 and 1985

Last Year:
10th overall: 10th on set work/ 10th on own choice

Own Choice Selection
2008: Tallis Variations
2007: Ascending – learning how to fly
2006: Contest Music
2005: Dances and Arias
2004: …Dove Decending
2003: Variations on an Enigma 

Tertnes Amatørkorps
Conductor: Martin Winter

National Record:
2008: =7th (Tormod Flaten)
2007: 2nd in Second Division (Tormod R. Flaten) (prom)
2006: 8th (Tormod Flaten)
2005: =4th (Tormod Flaten)
2004: 4th in Third Division (Tormod Flaten) (prom)
2003: Winners of Fourth Division (Tormod Falten) (prom)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC 

Overall Record:
Winners of Fourth Section 2003
Last Year: =7th

Own Choice Selections:
2008: Salute to Youth
2007: Coventry Variations
2006: Quintessence
2005: Rhapsody in Brass 

Tomra Brass Band
Conductor: Frans Violet 

National Record:
2008: 3rd (Frans Violet)
2007: 4th in Elite Section (relegated due to admin error)
2006: Winners of First Division (Frans Violet) (prom)
2005: 2nd (Frans Violet)
2004: =7th (Arnfinn Dalhaug)
2003: 2nd
2002: 3rd
2001: 4th
2000: 8th in Elite Division (rel)
1999: Winners of First Division 

Overall Record:
Winners of First Division 1993, 1999, 2006

Last Year: 3rd 

Own Choice Selection:
2008: Music of the Spheres
2007: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
2006: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
2005: Whitsun Wakes     

Ørskog Brass
Conductor: John Hudson 

National Record:
2008: Winners of Second Division (John Hudson) (prom)
2007: 3rd (John Hudson)
2006: 6th (Henrik Dalhaug)
2005: 12th in First Division (Michael Antrobus) (rel)
2004: 4th  (Michael Antrobus)
2003: 2nd Second Division
2002: 7th
2001: 11th in First Division
2000: 2nd

Overall Record:
Winners of Second Division 2008

Last Year: Winners of Second Dvision

Own Choice Selections:
2008: Dances and Alleluias
2007: English Heritage
2006: Trittico
2005: Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden 

Own Choice Selections:
 
English Heritage (Lloyd)
Ballet for Band (Horovitz)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Graham)
Tallis Variations (Sparke)
The Essence of Time (Graham)
Dances and Alleluias (Sparke)
Music of the Spheres (Sparke)
...Dove Descending (Wilby)
Pageantry (Howells)
Dances and Arias (Gregson)
Concertino for Band (Downie)
Spectrum (Vinter)

2008 Result: 

1. Oslo Brass Band  (Frode Amundsen)  = 96
2. Sørum Musikklag  (Christian Tenfjord)  = 94
3. Tomra Brass Band  (Frans Violet)  = 92
4. Sola Brass Band  (John Philip Hannevik) = 91
=5. Oster Brass  (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen) = 90
=5. Radøy Brass  (Tormod Flaten) = 90
=7. Jølster Musikklag  (Arvid Anthun) = 89
=7. Tertnes Amatørkorps (Tormod Flaten) = 89
9. Askøy Brass Band  (Egil Magnussen) = 88
10. Kleppe Musikklag  (Russell Gray)  = 87
11. Laksevåg Musikkforening  (Tom Brevik) = 86
12. Haukås Musikklag  (Thor-Arne Pedersen) = 84

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