Strømsgodset Musikkorps Will Become the Second Band Representing Norway at the 2019 Spasskaya Tower Festival

From August 23 to September 1, 2019 Moscow’s Red Square will once again become venue for the Spasskaya Tower International Military Tattoo. This time the world-famous cobblestone will heartily welcome the guests from Norway, the country of brave Vikings, indigenous islands and picturesque fjords.

As many as two bands will represent this beautiful northern kingdom at the Twelfth Spasskaya Tower Festival and for both of them it will be a debut. We’ve already announced Tveit Union Musikkorps. It is going to perform from August 27 to September 1 after Strømsgodset Musikkorps that will entertain and fascinate the audience from August 23 to 26.

Strømsgodset Musikkorps was founded in May 1912 in the city of Drammen by Nils Jansen, the Union Chairman of Gulskogen Cellulose Factory. At the beginning it featured only eight workers from the Cellulose Factory of Gulskogen and Paper Mill of Jarlsberg. Their very first concert the band performed on Easter Sunday 1913 in the Cellulose Factory acid tower, 25 meters above ground.

Since the 1950’s Strømsgodset Musikkorps has decided to increase its focus on marching skills. In 1954 it for the first time traveled abroad and in 1965 entered its first marching contest winning right away the gold medal and the Best band title. In the 1960’s the band also started playing at the Drammen football team’s home matches.

Next decades Strømsgodset Musikkorps has spent further developing as a marching, show and entertaining band. Their goal has always been to entertain and fascinate the audience with catchy music, solid marching skills and exciting show-drills.

The band is the holder of numerous prizes and titles. Thus, it has five gold medals of the National Marching Championship. It has four times participated in the World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade Netherland winning a total of six gold medals and one silver medal. Moreover, it was the first band ever to achieve gold in all three marching contests the same year in WMC. Besides it has performed at tattoos and festivals in Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Belgium.

Torild Hafskjold, Conductor of Strømsgodset musikkorps, is a professional trumpet player. She’s been conducting the band since 2016. As a trumpet player she has played with the Norwegian Navy Band and Royal Norwegian Airforce Band. In 2017 Hafskjold finished her degree in conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music and the University of South-Eastern Norway. The same year she was hired by the Norwegian Band Federation as a Musical Consultant with the responsibility for summer courses, conductor education, and the Young Conductor program.

Today she is a teacher at the Norwegian Academy of Music and Barratt Due Music Institute in Oslo. She takes an active part in the life of Telemark Brass Ensemble besides being the conductor of Øren Skolekorps, a young band from Drammen, for the last 18 years.

Thomas Rønnerud has been the Drum Major and Marching Instructor of Strømsgodset Musikkorps since 2016. Previously he was the drummer of the band. In 2005–2006 Rønnerud served in His Majesty the King’s Guard. When his military service was over he performed with HMKG’s Veteran Drill Team. Rønnerud is a very talented professional with a vast experience working as musician, instructor and Drum Major.

With its vision in mind Strømsgodset Musikkorps has prepared for the Spasskaya Tower Tattoo an amazing show-program based on a combination of popular music and marches. The choreography was written by former Drum Major of His Majesty the King’s Guard, Christian Filberg and adapted by Thomas Rønnerud. The Drumline’s solo part was made by the drummers themselves in co-operation with Rønnerud.