ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE 

The BIT20 Ensemble was formed in 1989, born out of a necessity to boost the contemporary music scene in Bergen and Norway. It rapidly became a spearhead both nationally and internationally. 

With the exceptional quality of its instrumentalists, and their intrinsic passion for new music, BIT20 has taken its repertoire on the road, from renowned festivals and venues in Europe to more exotic destinations such as Russia, Vietnam, Egypt and Canada. Despite this, BIT20 is also keen to continue nurturing its local roots, and has in recent years done a great deal of work for and with its audience in its hometown of Bergen. 

It has assumed the mantle of responsibility for new Norwegian music and has commissioned and premiered hundreds of works as well as contributed to 26 CD recordings.

The BIT20 Ensemble consists of 17 regular musicians, several of whom hold principal or assistant principal positions in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Not only does the ensemble function simply as a group of musicians on stage, but they also work on outreach projects as both performers and mentors. 
 
Our goal is to present the most adventurous ideas in modern music, and to document its rich history. We are continually striving to rethink the way we present the music we love.  

Photo: Linn Heidi Stokkedal