Dragefjellets Musikkorps
Encyclopedia
Dragefjellets Musikkorps, also known as the Bergen Symphonic Band is an elite division amateur wind band in Bergen
, Norway
.
It traces its beginnings from 1909 as the band at the Dragefjellet School. On September 1, 1914, it was formed as Norway's first amateur wind band by older members from the school band, along with Dragefjellet School headmaster, Sverre Vigander. It remained a relatively small band until Ragnar Maalen became conductor in 1970. Maalen served from 1970–1982, and led during a period in which "Dragen" expanded its membership and established its goals of becoming a leading Norwegian band. It won the first Norwegian Wind Band Championships in 1981 with Maalen conducting. Lars Kristian Brynildsen
was conductor for ten years from 1986 - 1996. And the band won the Norwegian championships twice during this period. After Brynildsen's departure, Dragen continued without a principal conductor, and worked with numerous conductors (including Brynildsen) on a project-by-project basis for the next decade. The band has won the Norwegian Wind Band Championships a total of seven times: 1981, 1983, 1988, 1992, 2006, 2007 and 2009. It has close ties with the Grieg Academy of music (at the University of Bergen
), and many of its members are current or former academy students.
Timeline:
Resources:
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
It traces its beginnings from 1909 as the band at the Dragefjellet School. On September 1, 1914, it was formed as Norway's first amateur wind band by older members from the school band, along with Dragefjellet School headmaster, Sverre Vigander. It remained a relatively small band until Ragnar Maalen became conductor in 1970. Maalen served from 1970–1982, and led during a period in which "Dragen" expanded its membership and established its goals of becoming a leading Norwegian band. It won the first Norwegian Wind Band Championships in 1981 with Maalen conducting. Lars Kristian Brynildsen
Lars Kristian Brynildsen
Lars Kristian Holm Brynildsen was a Norwegian clarinetist. He was principal clarinet of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 until his death in 2005 and was a member of the Bergen Woodwind Quintet for 25 years. Before coming to Bergen, he was principal clarinet in the Stavanger Symphony...
was conductor for ten years from 1986 - 1996. And the band won the Norwegian championships twice during this period. After Brynildsen's departure, Dragen continued without a principal conductor, and worked with numerous conductors (including Brynildsen) on a project-by-project basis for the next decade. The band has won the Norwegian Wind Band Championships a total of seven times: 1981, 1983, 1988, 1992, 2006, 2007 and 2009. It has close ties with the Grieg Academy of music (at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
), and many of its members are current or former academy students.
Timeline:
- 1909 - Dragefjellets Skole Musikkorps started.
- 1914 - Dragefjellets Musikkorps started by older members of the school band, with school headmaster Sverre Vigander.
- 1918 - The band has 18 members.
- 1921 - (June 29) Band purchases property, outside of Bergen, on which the cottage Dragehytten will eventually sit..
- 1958 - Records its first record album.
- 1968 - Women first allowed to join the band.
- 1970 - Ragnar Maalen, principal trombonist in the Bergen Philharmonic OrchestraBergen Philharmonic OrchestraThe Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
, becomes conductor. Band has 15 - 20 members. - 1981 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for first time.
- 1982 - Records its second album.
- 1983 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for second time.
- 1987 - Lars Kristian BrynildsenLars Kristian BrynildsenLars Kristian Holm Brynildsen was a Norwegian clarinetist. He was principal clarinet of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 until his death in 2005 and was a member of the Bergen Woodwind Quintet for 25 years. Before coming to Bergen, he was principal clarinet in the Stavanger Symphony...
, principal clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
in the Bergen Philharmonic OrchestraBergen Philharmonic OrchestraThe Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
, becomes conductor. - 1988 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for third time.
- 1989 - Band receives 1st prize with distinction, at World Band Championship competition in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. - 1992 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for fourth time.
- 1993 - Records its third album, its first on CD format.
- 1996 - Band begins a 10-year period without conductor, using various conductors on a project basis.
- 2002 - Band participates in the French Reeds Riviera Festival in la Croix Valmer, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - 2005 - Former conductor, Lars Kristian Brynildsen, dies.
- 2006 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for fifth time, releases fourth album, Merit.
- 2007 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for sixth time, has over 50 members. Gary Peterson hired as Artistic DirectorArtistic directorAn artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
. - 2007 - Former conductor, Ragnar Maalen awarded fortjenstmedaljen for service to Norwegian Music life.
- 2009 - Band wins the Norwegian national championships for the seventh time, celebrates 100th anniversary of Dragefjellets Skole Musikkorps.
Resources:
- Official Site (in Norwegian)
- Music Information Center Norway
- Norwegian Wind Band Championships (Norwegian Wikipedia)
- History of Bergen Symphonic Band
- Information on Dragehytten
- Information from NMF on Ragnar Maalen (in Norwegian)
- Speech on Ragnar Maalen by Svein Alsaker (in Norwegian)