Founded in 2009 in the Arctic Circle and managed by the two northern Norwegian cities of Bodø and Tromsø, the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra is the world’s northernmost professional orchestra. The aim of the critically acclaimed orchestra is to show their sense of belonging to the arctic and the traditional homeland of the Sámi and to bring this region closer to the rest of the world. This is inextricably linked to raising awareness of the global challenges of climate change.
Norway’s youngest orchestra takes on various forms that change on a regular basis. Thanks to this unique organisational model, the musicians can be seen in different ensembles over the course of a year – from small chamber music groups to the Sinfonietta ensemble in Bodø and the chamber orchestra in Tromsø. Eight to ten times a year, all the musicians come together and form a full orchestra that performs full scale symphonic and opera productions – a model that has proven to be a success in terms of flexibility, resourcefulness and artistic quality. Each year, the orchestra performs between 200 and 250 concerts at home and abroad.
The Arctic Philharmonic regularly commissions new works and prioritises performances and recordings of Norwegian music, with a special emphasis on the far north, embracing the musical heritage of the Sami region of Sápmi. Aiming to make the regional music scene more visible both nationally and internationally, the Arctic Philharmonic cooperates with northern Norwegian bands and artists from various genres, including jazz, pop, folk music and the traditional Sami song Joik.