In the middle of a recession and at a time when most governments have problems funding culture and the arts, Norway has bucked the trend and established a brand new symphony orchestra beyond the Arctic Circle.

This unique ensemble was founded on a completely new concept, with an entire region coming together to form an unrivalled cultural institution.

The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra was founded on 18 June 2009. The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra is a project orchestra with musicians from the Bodø Sinfonietta and the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra as its core members, supplemented by the Norwegian Army Band North and the Landsdelsmusikerne of North Norway. Today it is the largest and most active cultural institution in the northern regions of Norway. Its budget for 2010 is fifty-five million Norwegian kroner.

On 1 August 2009 the orchestra performed its first concert under the baton of Christian Lindberg. The programme included pieces by John Cage, Edvard Grieg, Johan Svensen, Jørgen Karlstrøm (world premiere), Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, in which the solo was performed by Martin Fröst, and Sibelius’ Second Symphony. Norway’s Minister of Culture Trond Giske rated this performance the most important cultural event in Norway in 2009 and Morgenbladet, one of Norway’s most respected newspapers, wrote that “These skilful musicians with their glowing enthusiasm represent a great challenge for any of the neighbouring orchestras.”

In October 2009 Christian Lindberg was appointed Principal Conductor of the orchestra, and the orchestra immediately received invitations to tour to various countries throughout the world.

Today, thanks to support from the Nordlysfestivalen (“Northern Lights Festival”), which in January 2010 hosted the Mariinsky Ballet Company’s first visit to Norway, the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra has begun to tour to Russia. The orchestra is performing at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre at the invitation of Maestro Gergiev.

This year the orchestra will visit China, with concerts in Beijing and Shanghai. A tour of Japan will culminate at the Takemitsu Memorial Hall (Tokyo Opera City).

The orchestra has also signed a recording contract with BIS for the debut disc of Norwegian composer Ole Olsen, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and the suite from the ballet Swan Lake, the complete orchestral works of Franz Berwald and concert performances with world renowned Norwegian tuba player Øystein Baadsvik.

Since early 2009 the orchestra has toured extensively throughout northern Scandinavia, performing with such artists as Martin Fröst, Arve Tellefsen, Marianne Beate Kielland, Arvid Engegеrd, Eldbjørg Hemsing, Thomas Søndergеrd, Inga Juuso, Christian Lindberg, Jørgen Karlstrøm and Stephen Blanchett.

In August 2010 the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra and Christian Lindberg made a successful debut as an opera orchestra. Together with top soloists from the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet Theatre they toured the Arctic region with Bizet’s opera Carmen. The Norwegian Newspaper Nordlys wrote that “It has been extremely exciting to follow the progress of the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra played with a solidity and accuracy that one would only expect from a body of players with a much longer history.” The orchestra’s future looks bright indeed. Norway’s Ministry of Culture and the two host cities of Bodø and Tromsø are providing extensive support to this exciting project. In addition to its prestigious recording contract with BIS, international tours and recordings of works by both Norwegian and international composers, the orchestra will soon have a brand new purpose-built hall, set to be constructed by 2014. For the opening concert of the hall the programme will feature the world premiere of a thirty-five minute piece by Jan Sandström, Grieg’s Piano Concerto and Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du printemps.