ENSEMBLES
Bente is an active chamber musician, constantly exploring and developing unique ways to use the euphonium. A large part of her work is related to chamber groups she has founded. The joy of practicing and performing with others in the chamber format is something she finds truly rewarding.
The Northern Lights Duo is an international collaboration between Bente Illevold (Norway) and Dr. David Earll (USA) formed in 2018. The duo has become one of the most active international tuba and euphonium duos in the world and has commissioned music from Rune Rebne & Ludvig Elblaus and Marcus Paus. Their tours have included performances throughout the North-eastern United States, Norway, and Spain. Their involvement over the coming years will include performances in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the South-eastern United States. The Northern Lights Duo will record their first duo album “Sounds Across the Ocean” in 2022. The duo is a unique chamber music ensemble with the international connection between Norway and the USA.
Elvebyen messingkvartett - Drammen's own brass quartet - consists of four female professional brass players. The ensemble was founded in January 2020, and during its short existence has managed to play concerts over large parts of Eastern Norway. The ensemble has received support from a number of municipalities, Viken County Municipality, the Norwegian Composers' Fund and the Art Council Norway. The quartet develops viable productions for children and young people, for elderly people and nursing homes and has its own pop-up concept under the name "Where you are".
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Elvebyen messingkvartett conveys traditions and cultural heritage through innovative and unique productions. The quartet has its own repertoire of tailor-made arrangements and transcriptions, and not least commissioned works from several of Norway's most sought-after composers. The quartet has its own website, read more HERE.
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Duo - Bente Illevold & Anders Kregnes Hansen (percussion)
Bente and Anders got to know each other during their studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music and have since 2018 collaborated to develop repertoire and disseminate contemporary music. They have done several premieres of works written by Norway's finest composers. The duo has played approx. 30 concerts together and this includes performances at Brasswind, the Norwegian Arctic University and Toneheim folkehøgskole to name a few.
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In the autumn of 2019, the duo toured Hedmark county with the concept "Tona fra Hedmark" where songs and folk music from the county were intertwined with poetry and conveyed through their unique interplay and timbres. In the spring of 2020, they released the album "The Sound from the Deep Forests", where Bjørn Kruse's "Bom-bombardino" was one of the main works. For this album, they garnered great acclaim for their eminent collaboration.
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The duo is now also developing a larger workshop project with contemporary music for young budding composers and is constantly looking for a new repertoire and challenges. Bente and Anders have received support from FFUK, CREO, the Norwegian Composers' Fund, Hedmark County and the Art Council Norway for their projects.
