Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen

Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen (born 11 January 1964) is a Norwegian contemporary composer. Life Aagaard-Nilsen was born in Oslo and grew up in Kabelvåg on Lofoten in northern Norway. From 1986 to 1990, he studied at the Bergen Conservatory of Music (now known as the Grieg Academy) and at the University of Bergen. From 1990 to 1994, he worked at the Bergen Conservatory as a teacher of contemporary classical music. Furthermore, he was leader of the Autunnale-festivalen - (Music Factory and Autunnale), also in Bergen. In 1992 and 1993, he arranged and composed for the Forsvarets Stabsmusikkorps Vestlandet - Norwegian Army Band, Bergen (NABB), writing, among other works, Arctic Landscape. In this period Aagaard-Nilsen wrote many works for wind band and brass band. As a composer, he has written for orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, wind band and brass band. Works that exemplify Aagard-Nilsen’s focus on narrative and visual aspects in a nearly impulsive form include Fabula I and Fabula II (1996), Sinfonietta (1998) and The Season of Blue Lights (2008) commissioned by BIT20 Ensemble. A stronger focus on expressive elements in Aagard-Nilsen’s output is evident in works such as Pierrot’s Lament