#lydenavunge

#lydenavunge is a composition competition for children and young people, first established in 2022.

Through #lydenavunge, we invite children and young people up to the age of 24 to compose their own music. In this project, participants are given a unique opportunity to create individual works that will be performed on a major stage in Bergen by one of Norway's leading brass bands. Along the way, participants will receive valuable feedback and guidance from composers.

The goal of the project is to encourage young people to write for brass bands and promote creativity and joy of creation across musical boundaries. We want to bring more young composers into the spotlight, giving new voices to the brass band movement. At the same time, composing provides a new arena for young people to channel their creativity, shifting the focus from performing to creating music for others. In this community, there is a strong emphasis on being the best, and the most talented young musicians have many opportunities and events to participate in. Creating new music is a completely different way to engage in the brass band environment, and this can motivate young people to continue their hobby. Participation in the competition is free of charge.

The submitted works are evaluated by renowned and experienced composers, musicians, and conductors. Manger Musikklag then hosts a final concert where five finalist pieces are performed, and the judges select a winner. The winner receives a cash prize of 30,000 NOK, and their work is premiered at the BrassWind festival in the same year. The competition has received praise from acclaimed composers and has been very well received.

Starting in 2024, #lydenavunge was transformed into a scholarship program. We invite children and young people up to 24 years old to apply for a scholarship of 30,000 NOK.

The scholarship will be used to write a piece for a brass band. The work will be premiered by Manger Musikklag at the BrassWind festival in the same year. During the composition process, the composer will be offered guidance from an experienced mentor to support them throughout the process.

Previous winners of #lydenavunge

2022: Oskar Abel Valand Halvorsen – "3 Satser for Brass Band"
2023: Kolbein Eide Bukve – "Snøskrømt"
2024: Mikkel Dahl Amundsen – "Meditation"

The goals of the project are

To encourage young people to write for brass bands.
To promote creativity and joy of creation across musical boundaries.
To bring more young composers into the spotlight.
To introduce more new voices to the brass band movement.
To shift the focus from performing to creating music for others.
To motivate young people to continue participating in the brass band community.

Rules 2024

Application deadline: 1 February 2024
Score submission deadline: 1 August 2024
Maximum age limit for participation is 24 years, born in 2000 or later.
Must be a Norwegian citizen.
Members of Manger Musikklag cannot participate.
The work must be for brass band and no longer than 10 minutes.
The work must not have been performed previously.

Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen says this about #lydenavunge

Translated from Norwegian.

Manger Musikklag's composition competition, #lydenavunge, helps mark the brass band's 100th anniversary. Creative young people who are also interested in writing music for brass bands get a unique opportunity here. I am both delighted and fascinated by this initiative. A band celebrating itself could easily become focused only on that. But with this project, Manger Musikklag continues its unique contribution to the musical community. They want to celebrate the composers of the future—those who will renew our repertoire.

What was once a rural band, in the truest sense of the word, went through a transformation that not only turned it into a full-fledged brass band. Around halfway to 100, they also helped create the modern Norwegian brass band history. Their encounter with completely unfamiliar brass band music became an inner driving force. As an aspiring composer, I have benefited from the community’s energy and, even to this day, have been able to experiment with musical forms and brass band sounds because MML gave me the opportunity.

So, from my perspective, the joy is even greater when MML launches the #lydenavunge composition competition!