In addition to being a chamber orchestra of the highest international caliber, 1B1 is an educational laboratory, gathering our best university, high school and culture school music students to interact, train and publicly perform together. 1B1 functions from Bergen in the north to Agder in the south and aims to increase musical activities at all levels in this area. 1B1 thus represents a regional hub for music performance training and already has done pioneering work in establishing good cooperative relationships that cross county boundaries and institutional affiliations. All of this originating from what is likely the best Nordic infrastructure for practice and training in music and dance, the Bjergsted Culture Park in Stavanger.
Founded in 2008 with a primary focus on building audiences and creating more attention around classical music, 1B1’s aim is to present music with new enthusiasm in a variety of venues. The ensemble has quickly established close cooperations with leading musicians and composers and has continuously documented their activities with recordings, films and photos.
The performers in the ensemble include teachers and students from the Department of Music and Dance at the University of Stavanger, the Grieg Academy in Bergen and the University of Agder. Also contributing are students from the University of Stavanger’s Young Musicians program, the Stavanger Culture School’s “Saturday School” program, and the Stavanger Cathedral School’s Music, Dance, and Drama department, as well as musicians from the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.
1B1 also has collaborated with musicians such as Clemens Hagen, Benjamin Schmid, Lars Anders Tomter, Tönu Kaljuste, and the Latvian National Choir, as well as composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt.