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See reviews and photos from the birthday celebration

Crowd at the University Square during the 50th anniversary celebration.

Over 3,000 visited us on Sunday 3 September when we celebrated the Academy of Music's birthday with 50 concerts and events around University Square.

The day started with a parade from "Tiger'n" at Oslo S and ended with a celebration concert in the University's Aula.

Marching band parade with Principal and Deputy Principals in the front, during the 50th anniversary celebration.
Principal Astrid Kvalbein carried the banner with outgoing vice-rector Eyolf Dale and incoming vice-rector Morten Qvenild as tassel bearers.

Parade

The Norwegian Academy of Music's own band Christiania Blåseensemble led the parade, and many staff and students turned up to walk behind the banner up Karl Johan. There was a German cruise ship at the dock, and the center was full of tourists on this Sunday morning.

Concerts on the stairs

When the parade arrived at Universitetsplassen, the program started with a folk music fanfare with lullabies, bugle horns and singing from the three large staircases in the square. Here is more of the staircase program.

  • Kl. 12:15 Domus Academica, the Festsal stairs: Drum experiment
  • Kl. 14:00 The Aula stairs: Partita
  • Kl. 16:15 The Aula stairs: SYNG!

Children's Concerts

  • Kl. 13:00 and 13:30: Gammalt er gøy! (Old is fun)
  • Kl. 14:00 and 14:30: Three Little Piglets

Domus Bibliotheca

To the left of the University Square is the Domus Bibliotheca. There was an exhibition, research dissemination, book launch, several concerts and a reception..

  • Kl. 12:30 The Middle Room: Music and the Contribution of Music Research to Society
  • Kl. 13:15 The Blue Room: NMH's Musical History
  • Kl. 13:35 The Middle Room: On Wenlock Edge
  • Kl. 13:55 The Middle Room: The Letter Quartet
  • Kl. 14:00 The Middle Room: Trumpet trio
  • Kl. 14:15 The Middle Room: Trio SOL plays Babadjanian
  • Kl. 14:45 The Middle Room: THEN is NOW
  • Kl. 15:15 The Blue Room: Fabulous Biographies
  • Kl. 15:30 The Middle Room: Out of Step, Out of Time
  • Kl. 15:55 The Middle Room: Geirr Tveitt: From 50 Folk Tunes from Hardanger
  • Kl. 15:40 The Middle Room: Mugham-Polyphony
  • Kl. 16:15 The Blue Room: Fabulous Biographies
  • Kl. 16:30 The Middle Room: Book Launch of the Anniversary Book

Activities on the University square

  • Kl. 12:15 and 13:45 Crash Course in Folk Dance
  • Kl. 15:00 In C with the new students

Domus Academica

To the right of the square is the Domus Academica with the Old Banqueting Hall.

  • Kl. 13:00: Cellissimo@Oslo
  • Kl. 13:15: Timbre – hardanger fiddle concert
  • Kl. 13:55: Kala
  • Kl. 14:30: Peer Gynt's Adventures with Luguber Brass
  • Kl. 14:45: Monteverdi's Melodramatic Melodies
  • Kl. 15:00: Calmes-plats
  • Kl. 15:10: The Drunken Poet, from The Fairy Queen
  • Kl. 15:30: Inga Mandinga
  • Kl. 16:00: Flamenco Inspirations
  • Kl. 17:00: Stette Collective
  • Kl. 17:35: Above the Treeline

The professor's residence

The professor's residence was at the back of the garden towards Tullinløkka. There were two premises in use: the Stables and the Living Rooms.

  • Kl. 13:00 Stables: Esther Kverno trio
  • Kl. 13:30 Stables: Kaarma
  • Kl. 14:00 Living Rooms: Just Play, Open Stage
  • Kl. 14:00 Stables: Into the Wild Hills
  • Kl. 15:00 Stables: Glasblume
  • Kl. 15:30 Stables: Elise Sløgedal
  • Kl. 16:00 Stables: This Is Duo Lingo
  • Kl. 16:00 Living Rooms: Pump organ and folk music
  • Kl. 17:00 Stables: Generations of Pianists

Celebration Concert at The University Aula at 19:00

  1. Opening Piece with the Folk Music Department: Sven Nyhus (1932–2023): Bergrosa
  2. Welcome with Principal Astrid Kvalbein and Deputy Principal Eyolf Dale
  3. Leah: Three songs of Leah Engevold (voice, keys)
  4. Åsmund Waage and Atle Nymo: Halfways to 100
  5. Interview with Liv Glaser and Einar Solbu.
  6. Mette Henriette (1990–): Overture II – Vega
  7. Richard Strauss (1864–1949): Don Juan
  8. Johan Svendsen (1840–1911): Norwegian Artists' Carnival

With the Academy's Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rolf Gupta.

The band LEAH plays at the celebration concert in the University Aula.
Leah with front and composer Leah Engevold played "Lovin' it", "New Norwegian" and "Stupid"
The band LEAH plays at the celebration concert in the University Aula. Picture taken from the balconies.
The orchestra performing at the celebration concert in the University Aula. Picture taken from above.
Full symphony orchestra conducted by Rolf Gupta.

Press on the anniversary

With registered audience numbers at 37 out of 46 events that were possible to count (we do not count parades, fanfare etc.) NMH has registered 2,797 audiences.

You will find parts of the coverage in the media at the Norwegian site.

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