Ensemble Allegria
Allegria is Italian and means festivity and joy, which shows the Ensemble Allegria intention of playing. Ensembelet was founded in 2007 and consists of about 20 musicians aged 19 to 27 years. Maria Angelika Carlsen has been artistic director from the start. Allegria Ensemble has its origins in the environment of the Barratt Due Music Institute and the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. They have played concerts at the Festival in Bergen, Hardanger Music Festival, Bylyder and Café de Concert in addition to their own projects.
In Ultima in 2010 the ensemble played for over 600 spectators, including Crown Prince Haakon at the opening performance in the Oslo City Hall. The work “Music for the Oslo City Hall” was written by Benedict Mason, and the conductor was Brad Lubman.
Allegria Ensemble has collaborated with internationally renowned soloists as Tine Thing Helseth, Henning Kraggerud, Lars Anders Land, Christian Ihle Hadland, Arve Tellefsen, Caroline Eidsten Dahl, Anders Nilsson, Tor Espen Aspaas, Stig Nilsson and Martin Frost.
The orchestra has received instruction from some of the country’s leading musicians: Are Sandbakken, Morten Carlsen, Øyvind Bjorå, Tor Espen Aspaas and Lars Anders Land. Allegria Ensemble is directed by Andrew Manza, and Geir Inge Lotsberg has been a guest conductor.