I was privileged to pay a visit Trondheim, Norway, in December 2010 to meet Bjørn Moe and the Nidarosdomens Guttekor.  Bjørn is the conductor of this famous Cathedral Choir, based in the magnificent Nidaros Cathedral at Trondheim.

The Choir are well-known throughout Scandinavia, and have toured extensively in Europe and elsewhere, and made a number of CDs. Every year they do a concert tour around Norway and Sweden in the lead-up to Christmas, culminating in four big concerts in the Cathedral.  Here they are accompanied by a symphony orchestra as well as the organ, and Arve Tellefesen, a well-known Norwegian concert violinist.

The vast Nidaros Cathedral attracts audiences of over twelve hundred at each of these concerts, and many of them arrive an hour before the concert starts, in order to secure a good seat! This year they included two of my pieces in their programme – my setting of ‘See amid the Winter’s Snow’ (publ. OUP), and a a new arrangement of ‘What Child is this?’, set to the English traditional tune known as ‘Greensleeves’.  This setting, recently published by Norsk Musikforlag, incorporates a part for solo violin, as well as a light orchestral accompaniment.  Please click on the large picture below to see and hear an extract from the concert, including this piece.

Trondheim is a historic and picturesque town, and despite the very cold weather and icy roads, I was able to get out and take a few photos to remind me of a most enjoyable visit.