Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen

Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen (born 11 January 1964, in Oslo) is a Norwegian contemporary composer.

Life

Aagaard-Nilsen grew up in Kabelvåg on Lofoten in northern Norway. From 1986 to 1990 he studied at the Bergen Conservatory of Music (now known as the Grieg Academy) and at the University of Bergen. From 1990 to 1994 he worked at the Bergen Conservatory as a teacher of contemporary classical music. Furthermore, he was leader of the ''Autunnale-festivalen - (Music Factory and Autunnale)'', also in Bergen. In 1992 and 1993 he arranged and composed for the ''Forsvarets Stabsmusikkorps Vestlandet - Norwegian Army Band, Bergen (NABB)'', writing, among other works, ''Arctic Landscape''. In this period Aagaard-Nilsen wrote many works for wind band and brass band.

Aagaard-Nilsen works as conductor of various school and amateur orchestras, and also as a teacher at the ''Manger Folkehøgskule''. He founded the forum ''Av garde'' together with Ketil Hvoslef, Jostein Stalheim and Knut Vaage.

As a composer he has written for orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, wind band and brass band. Works that exemplify Aagard-Nilsen's focus on narrative and visual aspects in a nearly impulsive form include ''Fabula I ''and ''Fabula II'' (1996), ''Sinfonietta'' (1998) and ''The Season of Blue Lights'' (2008) commissioned by BIT20 Ensemble. A stronger focus on expressive elements in Aagard-Nilsen's output is evident in works such as ''Pierrot's Lament'' (Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra), premiered in 2001 with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. The trumpet concerto ''Blue Phrases'' (2007), the sinfonietta ''The Season of Blue Light'' and quartet ''Blue Fragments'' (2008) are additional examples of Aagard-Nilsen's expressive focus; while the orchestral work ''Boreas Sings'' (2012) represents a new direction in which a spectrum of colours and dancing rhythms become evident. 2014 saw his orchestral work ''Boreas Blæs'' (2014) premiered by the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra at the opening ceremony of Stormen, Bodø's concert hall.

In 2016 Aagard-Nilsen received the Norwegian Music Publishing Association's Annual Award for his work ''Dirty Dancing'', commissioned and premiered by the Christiania Blåseensemble in 2015.

Compositions

For orchestra

* 1992/2000 ''The fourth Angel'' for trumpet and sinfonietta
* 1995–1996 ''Concerto for Cello and Orchestra''
* 1996 ''Concerto for Trumpet and String Orchestra - Hommage''
* 1997 rev.2003 ''The Cry of Fenrir - Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra''
* 1998 ''Concerto for Trombone and String Orchestra''
* 2000 ''Pierrot's Lament - Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra''
* 2003 ''Fanfares and Fairytales (Concerto No. 2 for Trombone and Orchestra)''
* 2007 "Wind Eyes"

For wind band

* 1992 ''Arctic Landscape for Military Band''
* 1994 ''Preludium for Symphonic Band''
* 1994 ''Triade - "The Angels of Destruction" for large wind ensemble''
* 1998 ''Pang - Introduction No. 4 for Symphonic Band''
* 2001 ''Concerto for Large Wind Ensemble (Pentagram)''
*# Call and Awakening
*# Ritual I
*# De Profundis
*# Ritual II
*# Call and Conclusion
* 2002 ''Cantilena'' Cradle Song for solo trombone and wind band
* 2002 ''Wings of Changes for Wind Ensemble'' (Recordinglabel SIMAX)
* 2002 "Cantilena: Cradle song for trombone and wind band"
* 2004 ''Cantilena II: Mountain Song for euphonium and wind ensemble''
* 2004 "The Playground Project"
* 2006 "Cantilena III for 3 trombones and wind ensemble
* 2013 ''Ljodgata'' for Wind Band
* 2015 ''Dirty Dancing'', premiered by Christiania Blåseensemble conducted by Peter Szilvay

For brass band

* 1988 ''Circius'' (various recordings)
* 1989 ''Abstractions''
* 1990 ''Entrada : Introduction No. 2''
* 1990-1991 ''Awakening''
* 1991 ''The Binding of the Wolf''
* 1993 ''Concerto for Bb Cornet and Brass Band''
* 1996 ''Seid'' (also a version B from 2009) (recording on DOYEN)
* 1998 ''Riffs and Interludes''
* 1998/1999 ''Dynamis - Missa Sophia'' (recording on LAWO)
* 1999 "Mosquito for trombone and brass band
* 2002/2005 "Myth"
* 2003 ''Aubade - Dawn Songs of the Fabulous Birds'' (test piece for the 2003 ''European Brass Band Competition'' in Bergen, Norway)
* 2003 ''Bloodaxe Lament for Tuba and Brass Band''
* 2005 "Klotho"
* 2005 ''Hommage á Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart''
* 2006 "Steam Songs"
* 2006 ''Cantigas'' (recording on LAWO)
* 2007 "Blue Phrases" for solo trumpet, electronics and brass band
* 2007 "Chant" (recording on LAWO)
* 2007/2008 "Totem" Concerto gross for brass band and electronics
* 2009 "Euphonium Concerto"

For choir

* 1992 ''Ensomme skip'' for female choir (SSAA) - text (Norwegian): Rolf Jacobsen
* 1994/2010 ''Bølgje'' for mixed choir - text (Norwegian): Halldis Moren Vesaas
* 1996 "I otta du rise" for male choir (TTBB)
* 2001/2002 ''Aldri før...'' for mixed choir - text (Norwegian): Rolf Jacobsen
* 2002 ''Et annet lys'' for mixed choir - text (Norwegian): Stein Mehren
* 2005 "Sorg" fir male choir - text (Norwegian): Stein Mehren
* 2008 "Jolekvad (variations on In Dulci Jubilo) for two female choir

Vocal works with orchestral or instrumental accompaniment

* 1990/1991 ''Jacobsen sanger'' for baritone and trumpet text: Rolf Jacobsen
* 1999 ''Det andre lyset'' for voice, saxophone, trombone and piano text: Stein Mehren

Cantatas and masses

* 1994 ''Vår jord, vår Evighet'' cantata for Tromsø on the occasion of the 200-year anniversary, for soprano, baritone, mixed choir, wind band and strings - text: Rolf Jacobsen
*# Preludium
*# Det ryker
*# Små lys på havet
*# Nord
*# Sol i sorg
*# Hyss
* 1998/1999 ''Dynamis - Missa sophia'' for cornet, trombone, tuba, percussion and brass band

Piano

* 1993 ''Hot-house - Drivhus''
* 2000/2002 "Views"
* 2006 "Akvarell (Watercolour) (for Rune Alver)
* 2008 "Nattsvermer (for Rune Alver)
* 2009 "Lofotbrev (for Rune Alver)
* 2010 "Blue Traces" (for Rune Alver)

Chamber music

* 1989/95 "Four Lyric Pieces" for solo EUphonium
* 1990 "Black Rain" for solo Euphonium
* 1991 ''Black Light'' for recorder, violin, singer (alto) and piano, version 2: for recorder, violin, cello and harpsichord, version 3: for flute, oboe, violin and piano
* 1992/2001 "The Fourth Angel" for trumpet and sinfonietta
* 1993 ''Novelle for Brass Ensemble'' for 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass trombone, French horn and tuba
* 1996 ''Fabula I'' for flute, clarinet, vibraphone, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello and double bass
* 1996 ''Fabula II'' for oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello and double bass
* 1996/98 "Sinfonietta" (1. Fabula III, 2. Fabula IV, 3. Fabula V, 4. Singing Landscape) for sinfonietta
* 1998 ''Crossing Lines'' quartet for trombone, accordion, violin and cello
* 1998 ''Glance of a Landscape'' quartet for percussion
* 1999 ''Light'' for trombone and percussion
* 1999 "Two Insects" for Solo Euphonium
* 2000 "Spin" for brass quintet
* 2001 "Kyklos" for brass quintet
* 2002 ''Winds of Change'' for Oboe, Eb clarinet, 3 Bb clarinets, Bass Clarinet, and 2 Saxophones
* 2003 "Knock" for percussion trio
* 2005 "Of Night and Darkness" for trombone quartet
* 2008 "Blue Fragments" for Piano trio and percussion
* 2008 "The Season of Blue Lights" for sinfonietta
* 2009 "Song for Kharon" for tuba and electronics
* 2010 "Orpheus Lament" for trumpet and electronics
* 2016 "Musical Doodles" for accordion and cello

Discography

*Rune Alver, ''Blaue Blume'' (2011)
*Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Håkon Austbø, Peter Szilvay, '' Oiseaux exotiques'' (2009)
*Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag, Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces, ''Frisk Pust'' (2008)
*Ning Trio, ''Works by Barrett, Hagen, Buene, Aagaard-Nilsen, Apollyon'' (2004)
*Bodø Sinfonietta, ''Singing Landscape'' (2003)
*Helge Haukås, Jaren Marching Band, ''Silver Mountain'' (2002)
*Einar Røttingen, ''Avgarde'' (2000)
*Rolf Gupta, Stavanger Brass Band, ''The Colour-Gobbler: Stavanger Brass Band presents contemporary brass band music'' (1996)
*Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag, ''Kings Messenger'' (1995)
*David King, '' Introduction'' (1995)
*Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag, ''Light'' (1990)

References

External links

*
List of works
supplied by the National Library of Norway

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aagaard-Nilsen, Torstein
1964 births
Living people
Grieg Academy alumni
Composers from Oslo
Norwegian contemporary classical composers
Norwegian male classical composers
Brass band composers