Hundreds of civilian brass band players recently gathered in Oslo to protest against proposed future cuts to military bands in Norway.

200 flags and stand banners from bands from all over the country were flown in support at the event where Secretary General of the Norwegian Band Federation, Karl Ole Midtbo was one of the speakers alongside political and trade union leaders and the Principal of the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Proposed cuts

The Norwegian Government has proposed to reduce the number of Norwegian Armed Forces bands from five to two, and to limit the activity of the remaining three to military, royal and parliamentary ceremonies.

It is understood that the Band of the Royal Air Force in Trondheim and the Band of the Royal Navy in Horten, south of Oslo are proposed to be closed by January 2018.

Met with dismay

However, the proposal has met with dismay from within the professional ranks of military personnel as well as from the Norwegian Musicians Union and civilian brass bands — many of which have built close ties to military ensembles over many years.

That was shown in a massive protest outside Norway's Parliament Building in Oslo, where numerous bands showed their collective opposition by proudly displaying their band stand banners or band flags.

That was shown in a massive protest outside Norway's Parliament Building in Oslo, where numerous bands showed their collective opposition by proudly displaying their band stand banners or band flags4BR

Magnificent response

Members Eikanger-Bjorsvik Band, led by trombone player Solvi Ones, sent out an invitation to all civilian bands in the country to show their support to those fighting the proposed closures, and the magnificent response can be seen above.

A band made up of military personnel, who had to wear civilian clothes so that they could not be considered to be showing disloyalty to their superiors, also played at the protest event, which was covered extensively on both regional and national media.

Image: Vidar Norli (EBML)