Gjesdal Brass Band (GBB) was constituted in 2001 as a result of a merger between two small, local brass bands in the municipality of Gjesdal; Oltedal Muskorps (established 1945) and Ålgård Musikkorps (established 1900). The two bands had cooperated for years, and was that much successfull that their menbers wanted to make the arrangement permanent.

GBB is now the only brass band in Gjesdal, with its population of about 10.000, and located South of the cities of Stavanger and Sandnes in Rogaland county, on the South-Western coast of Norway.

Since 2001, Gjesdal Brass Band has experienced a very good musical progress, under the hands of our conductor, Jonas Skartveit Rogne. On the national level GBB has been fluctuating between the 2nd and 3rd division in the annual national brass band championship, but our goal is to reach a stable 2nd division level.

GBB has 36 members from 15 to 61 years. The average age of the GBBs members is about 30 years, equally divided between men and women. The band is recruiting new members not only from Gjesdal, but also from the neighbouring municipalities, as well as from the cities of Sandnes and Stavanger. Many of the members travel gladly 50 km for the weekly band practices. The remotest member travels more than 80 km each way. Thus, with our regional coverage, we are the leading brass band in the Jæren region.

The main events of the year for GBB are as follows:

Autumn:

• Start-up weekend seminar

• Mandal Music Festival (every second year), Mandal

• A trip or a major concert (the other year) - in 2010 we are heading for Århus, Denmark

• SIDDIS BRASS - The most important brass band championship for Norwegian brass bands after the national championship, Stavanger

• Christmas concert tour together with guest artist/solist - in 2009 we had 3 concerts in 3 different churches - with an audience of more than 400 in total

Spring:

• National Brass Band Championship, Bergen

• "Tradbrass" spring concert in cooperation with other brass bands

• "Jearen Ungdomsbrassband - JUBB" - an event for youth brass band players in the region

• "17th of May" - The Norwegian National Day, with lots of processions and marching all around Gjesdal (5 processions of 10 kms in total, 26000 steps, 8,5 hours "work")

• Summer concert - "The best of" from the season- with guest artist

The band is a good ambassadeur for Gjesdal municipality, and we are quite often engaged to perform in official arrangements as well as for the local business community and private parties and occasions.

Gjesdal Brass Band has strong local bonds, known for its musical progress as well as its good atmosphere and social activities. GBB owns its own house - a former chapel - "Kapellet" - in Oltedal (see map below). Our members have spent many hours there to make the assembly room fit for band practices as well as for social arrangements. "Kapellet" is rather small, but has a really good atmosphere and is well applicable for our requirements. Few bands in the area are this privileged when it comes to such facilities to their sole disposition.

Our conductor since 2001 is the 33 year old Jonas Skartveit Rogne from Skodje in the North-West of Norway. He is an educated conductor with a bachelor degree from the University of Stavanger, and has recently finished postgraduate studies in conducting and composing. He is a cornet player, and has played in several high level Norwegian brass bands, the latest was Stavanger Brass Band from 1997 to 2006, with their highest achievement as the 3rd best band in the European Brass Band Championship - EBBC. As conductor, he was one of two Norwegian competitors in the European Championship for Conductors in 2008, where he did a honourable perfomance. Jonas is a passionate brass band fantast, with more than 1150 brass band albums on his MP3 player, and he has conducting, music instruction and teaching as his way of living. Jonas is married to Kari and has two children.

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