Dragefjellets Musikkorps, also known as the Bergen Symphonic Band is an ''elite division'' amateur

wind band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. 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 The Grieg Academy ( no, Griegakademiet) is a disputed historical term used to refer to the higher education music programs in Bergen, Norway (birthplace of composer Edvard Grieg), as well as various collaborations across music institutions in Bergen ...

of music (at the

University of Bergen The University of Bergen ( no, Universitetet i Bergen, ) is a research-intensive state university located in Bergen, Norway. As of 2019, the university has over 4,000 employees and 18,000 students. It was established by an act of parliament in 194 ...

), 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.Information on Dragehytten http://www.dragefjellets-musikkorps.no/index.htm *1958 - Records its first record album. *1968 - Women first allowed to join the band. *1970 - Ragnar Maalen, principal

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, 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 Brynildsen, principal clarinet in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. *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,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. *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 Director. *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 BandInformation on DragehyttenInformation from NMF on Ragnar Maalen (in Norwegian)Speech on Ragnar Maalen by Svein Alsaker (in Norwegian)

References

{{Authority control Norwegian musical groups Wind bands