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| New big band fest not a 'big' big band fest 85 visiting musicians join locals for four days of jazz and sacred music in 'small' inaugural event
The plan is to start small, but just the concept of a big band festival makes that kind of difficult. So organizers know they'll at least have plenty of musicians as more than 100, mostly from other parts of Norway, perform four days of jazz and sacred concerts during the inaugural Storband Weekend starting Thursday. The lineup includes two visiting big bands plus a choir joining the Longyearbyen Storband for activities that also include a workshop, a ballroom dance and performances aimed at youths. "We decided to start out with only two bands because it's a size we can handle," said Hans-Gunnar Skreslett, the festival's director. Skreslett, who also plays trumpet in the Longyearbyen Storband, said the concept of the festival already existed when he moved to Svalbard a year ago. While jazz fans already can get their fix during the dark season with Polarjazz in February, efforts to add activities during slow periods remains an ongoing process. There seems to be an appetite for more music in Longyearbyen, with the first Spitsbergen Rock drawing strong crowds earlier this year and receiving a grant from the city this week to stage another festival next year. But Skreslett said there are uncertainties about Storband Weekend, in part because as of Tuesday nobody had purchased the 250 kroner passes that provide admission to all concerts, so traffic will essentially be who shows up at the door. "I'm a little bit nervous about the audience," he said. The festival is also sandwiched between two already popular events, Dark Season Blues and KunstPause Svalbard. Skreslett said it remains to be seen if that's a blessing because people are already in the mood for such events or a curse from having too many of them at once. But the interim weekend is still traditionally a slow one, so arranging for inexpensive lodging for the musicians at the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel was possible because "of course they're happy to have this." Also, while travel arrangements to Svalbard aren't the easiest thing for big bands, "You have a lot of musicians who want to come here." "The situation is these are amateurs, so we have made them really cheap to get," Skreslett said. Visiting big bands include the Vesterålen Storband from the northwest Norwegian coast and the Drøbak Storband from the southern coast. The latter will join with the Nesodden/Frogn choir at 5 p.m. Saturday at Huset to perform Duke Ellington's "Sacred Music," a work they have collaborated on elsewhere. The choir will also perform during the liturgy Sunday at Svalbard Church. The Longyearbyen Big Band may be more familiar to locals, but they will play some new material, including a collaboration with longtime saxophonist Henning Gravrok, as part of Friday's lineup starting at 9:30 p.m. at Brasseri Nansen, Skreslett said. A number of free events are also scheduled, including an opening jam session starting at 9 p.m. Thursday at Barentz Pub. Performances intended for students are scheduled Friday at Longyearbyen School and The University Centre In Svalbard, although Gravrok said others showing up will be admitted. A workshop at Longyearbyen School on Friday afternoon is similarly intended for students. Other free events include miniconcerts Saturday afternoon at Svalbardbutikken and Lompensenteret. Schedule of events Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Passes for all events available for 250 kroner at the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel.
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