Bærum Symphony Orchestra

The orchestra is a full-size symphony orchestra with around 60 members, mainly amateur musicians of a high standard, but also current and former professionals and music teachers. Professional extra musicians is occationally hired for specific projects.
The orchestra performs a variety of classical music, with a focus on music from the romantic period. Bærum Symphony Orchestra is supported economically by the municipal government of Bærum.
History

Bærum has a wide variety of cultural activities. These include many choirs and brass bands, and groups of the performing arts such as theatre and musicals.
Bærum Symphony Orchestra was established in 1951 by merging two smaller orchestras in the district. In the beginning, the orchestra struggled economically, but shortly after the municipal government of Bærum started supporting the orchestra. In 2004 the orchestra was appointed «Kulturfyrtårn» by the municipality, a status it has retained since. The orchestra har grown since the beginning and has now approcimately 80 memmbers.
Repertoire
The orchestra has a long tradition of cooperation with choirs, and during the lifetime of the orchestra most of the central sacred choral works have been performed, many of these performances have been with the best of Norwegian oratorio choirs. Verdi’s Requiem has been performed several times, as well as the requiems of Faure, Brahms and Mozart. Other choir works includes Beethoven’s 9th symphony and Stabat Mater of Pergolezi.
Since 2003 the orchestra has arranged New Year’s concerts every January. This quickly became a huge success and draws an audience of almost 1,000 people over two days. The orchestra has also performed a series of operettas, including Die Fledermaus and the Merry Widow.
The orchestra annually arranges about four chamber music concerts to give interested musicians in the orchestra the opportunity of performing chamber music.
Conductors
