It has been a busy and gratifying Christmas period for the reigning Norwegian champion, Eikanger-Bjørsvik.

Barack Obama

Aagot Valle is a name probably more familiar to Norwegians than to most British bandsmen, but the former MP and self confessed Eikanger fan was sat next to Barack Obama as the US President received his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo recently.

Aagot is one of five members of the Nobel committee and just a few days before the Nobel event was in attendance at Eikanger's latest concert.

History woman

Meanwhile, for the first time in the band's history a woman conducted the band in a major concert.

Halldis Rønning, one of Norway's most respected young orcheastral conductors directed the band in a concert in Bergen.

...another piece of musical history was made with the performance of the Ernest Tomlinson 'Cornet Concerto', played by Martin Winter with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra4BR

Tomlinson history

Meanwhile another piece of musical history was made with the performance of the Ernest Tomlinson 'Cornet Concerto', played by Martin Winter with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

According to the orchestra´s director of communication, Henning Maalsnes, this was the first time in the orchestra´s 244 year history that they have featured a cornet as a concerto soloist.