Bergen Big Band

& Øyvind Torvund

Former Festival composer Øyvind Torvund, based in Bergen, has written an entirely new work for Bergen Big Band, inspired by the instrumental music of 1950s, 60s and 70s heroes such as Burt Bacharach, The Beach Boys and Olivier Messiaen. A multitude of musical styles are brought together in unmistakable Torvund fashion.

In 2019, Øyvind Torvund received widespread attention for the critically acclaimedThe Exotica Album with the BIT20 Ensemble, and the composer describes this commissioned work as a continuation of that album. Torvund's music has been performed internationally by ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and in 2026 his work featured in the BBC Proms programme in London. In 2022, he received the prestigious Kunstpreis Berlin, with the jury highlighting his original and distinctive voice as a composer.

Bergen Big Band is one of Norway's leading professional big bands, having performed at some of the world's foremost jazz festivals and collaborated with international jazz stars. The big band was established in 1991, but its roots go back to Bergen Band in the 1970s. Today, Bergen Big Band carries on this legacy, with one foot in the big band tradition and the other in ever-changing musical landscapes.

Øyvind Torvund. Photo: Synne S. B. Bønes