The choir possesses a wide-ranging
repertory with particular emphasis on contemporary music and has premiered
a number of significant works. In 2001 Ensemble 96 was awarded a record
NoK 300.000 grant by the Nordic Cultural Fund in order to sponsor a tour
featuring new Nordic choral works in all Nordic capital cities. The choir
is steadily on concert tours in Norway and abroad and has received raving
reviews.
Ensemble 96 has participated in several
national and international contests and won major prizes in them all. The
choir has recorded CD’s with the Naxos and Universal Records labels and
has worked with international star artists like Palle Mikkelborg, Helen
Davies and Jai Shankar.
Øystein Fevang has been the choirs’
choirmaster since it’s beginnings in 1996. In 1995 he graduated with a
master degree in choral conducting from the Norwegian State Academy of
Music, at which he has been himself teaching since. He has also been
studying singing with prof. Oren Brown, New York, and conducting with
Alexei Malij, Moscow. He is widely known as a choir conductor as well as a
baritone singer, and does a lot of courses and master-classes in Norway
and abroad.
In addition to the chamber choir Ensemble
96 Øystein Fevang also is the conductor of another elite ensemble – the
young female choir Bærum Vokalensemble.
