Composer Edward Gregson has told 4BR that he is thrilled to be heading to Oslo this weekend to enjoy a very special personal celebration — one that will be accompanied by a full day of his music.

As reported on 4BR, the Norwegian Armed Forces Staff Band (Forsvarets Stabsmusikkorps) will host a mini-festival on April 9th to celebrate five decades of outstanding composition. The Staff Band is Norway's largest professional wind orchestra.

70th birthday

The event will take place in Ridehuset, Akershus Fortress, Oslo with a trio of concerts also featuring Oslo Brass Band and students from the Norwegian Academy of Music, directed by the distinguished Swedish conductor Andreas Hanson.

Edward Gregson recently celebrated his 70th birthday with his appointed as Composer in Residence at European champion, Black Dyke, and he will also take the opportunity to conduct Forsvarets Stabsmusikkorps on one of his works before later sitting down with Andreas Hanson to discuss his compositional life ahead of the festival's closing concert.

Works

Works that have been chosen include his early 1971 'Horn Concerto' right through to his 2014 String Quartet. Other featured compositions will include 'Aztec Dances', 'Symphony in Two Movements', 'Connotations' and his 'Tuba Concerto'.

Honoured

Speaking to 4BR just before he left to fly to Norway, he said: "'I feel honoured that the Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces, one of Europe's leading professional wind bands, has chosen to celebrate my 70th birthday by mounting this mini-festival of my music.

In particular, it was their Musical Director, Andreas Hanson, who came up with the idea of the collaboration between the Staff Band and other musical organisations in Oslo — namely the Oslo Brass Band, and the Norwegian Academy of Music."

Outstanding musicians

He added: "This unique collaboration will present a wide spectrum of the music I have written from the mid-70s to the present day. I'm very honoured by their wonderful gesture and looking forward to renewing my close ties with some of Norway's outstanding musicians."

I'm very honoured by their wonderful gesture and looking forward to renewing my close ties with some of Norway's outstanding musiciansEdward Gregson

Festival Programme:

Saturday, April 9th
Ridehuset at Akerhus Fortress, Oslo

Gregson: Chamber Music: 12 noon
Musicians from the Armed Forces Staff Band & Norwegian Academy of Music
Ratatosk String Quartet

Aztec Dances
Tributes
String Quartet

Oslo Brass Band: 3.00pm
Conducted by Andreas Hanson and Edward Gregson

Connotations
Horn Concerto
Symphony in Two Movements

Edward Gregson in Conversation: 6.00pm
Hosted by Andreas Hanson

Norwegian Armed Forces Staff Band: 7.00pm
Conductor: Andreas Hanson

Celebration
Tuba Concerto
Metamorphoses
The King Goes Forth