Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces
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Forsvarets stabsmusikkorps (FSMK) (lit., The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces) is Norway's largest professional wind band, employing 39 full-time musicians. FSMK is based in Oslo and is the most prestigious of the bands of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
The band participates in parades and ceremonies for Norwegian royalty, the government and the armed forces, and tours throughout Norway and abroad. In addition, the band has an extensive concert schedule in the Oslo area.
FSMK has strong relations with the Norwegian National Opera, Norwegian Academy of Music, Akershus Fortress Foundation for Art and Culture, Oslo Chamber Music Festival, and Ny Musikkk, the Norwegian section of the International Society for Contemporary Music. The band maintains a high artistic standard and performs a wide variety of musical styles; classical and contemporary, as well as jazz and pop.
FSMK works with renowned conductors from Norway and abraod, on a project basis. The Staff Band's recordings have consistently received critical acclaim.
History
Military music in Norway has its roots in the 17th century when the pipers (flautists) together with the drummers made up the first military bands. In 1641, all companies had drummers, pipers, trumpeters and horn players, that formed small ensembles. These ensembles performed different kinds of signals and fanfares at military operations and ceremonies, and were connected to the Akershus fortress. It was in 1818 that the first military ensembles similar to today's bands were created.
Within the Stabsmusikkorps ved Hærordningen of 1817, which was put into effect the 1st of January 1818, it was decided that the 2nd Agersusiske Brigade would have a military band, and the name was the 2nd Brigades Musikkorps (military band). In 1918, all of the brigades were renamed to divisions, and subsequently the band's name changed to the 2nd Division Musikkorps (military band). The band had this name until 1953, when the classification into divisions was abandoned, and the band was renamed Forsvarets stabsmusikkorps (The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces).
Ridehuset
In October 2007, FSMK moved into the newly restored Ridehuset på Akershus festning. Ridehuset, once a riding stable on the Akershus fortress, is now the permanent rehearsal and concert arena for Forsvarets stabsmusikkorps. Ridehuset is today a modern, stylish concert house tailored to the needs of Stabsmusikken. The house holds a large stage, wardrobes, a music library, storage facilities and seating for 200 - 250 people. Due in part to the excellent acoustics, Ridehuset has become a very popular arena for other ensembles in Oslo. The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Sinfonietta and the Ultima festival, among others, will be holding concerts in Ridehuset during the 2008/2009 season.
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