TRANSITIONS IN ENERGY for Brass Band by FREDRICK SCHJELDERUP (Norway,1990)
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
[#364] July 13, 2026
Norway | 2025 | Brass Band | Grade 6 | 18' | Tone Poem
This piece is available for purchase at Note Butikken
“Transitions in Energy”, by Norwegian composer and conductor Fredrick Schjelderup is our Composition of the Week.
“Transitions in Energy” was commissioned by the Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) in collaboration with the European Brass Band Association (EBBA) for the European Brass Band Championships 2025, Stavanger, Norway.
“The piece reflects on the role of energy in the development of earth and society, climate concerns and hopefully a positive future beyond. The piece is rooted in a central theme «Gaia», or Earth. The Present contains an "In Memoriam" to Alexander L. Kielland, the most impactful oil and gas disaster in Norway which capsized during a storm on the 27th of March 1980. 123 lives were lost and many in Norway still seek full closure. "Transitions in Energy" is based on an idea and concept written by Olav M Skår.” Program notes by editor.
The music has a duration of about 18 minutes, and it is written in 3 movements, The Past, The Present and The Future, to be played without interruption. Transitions in Energy is available at
, Norway.
Fredrick Schjelderup is a Norwegian composer from Sandsli, Bergen (Norway). He started playing percussion in his local school band, which he continued in various other brass bands and youth symphony orchestras. From 2007-17 he played with the world-famous brass band, Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag. His background in the brass band community has heavily influenced his work.
Fredrick started composing whilst studying music at high school. During this time,he received the ”Chess Scholarship” for composing, awarded by The Norwegian Band Federation (Norges Musikkorps Forbund - NMF). The same year, he also received a commission from “Oi Oi Festivalen” at the Festival of Bergen (Festspillene I Bergen).
His musical education continued at Manger Folkehøgskule where he took lessons with the Norwegian composer Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen (2009-2010).
Fredrick finished his bachelor’s degree in composing at the Grieg Academy of Music (University of Bergen) in 2014, which was headed by Morten Eide Pedersen.
As part of his university degree, Fredrick also took classes in conducting under the tutelage of Harald Eikaas, Tom Brevik and Halldis Rønning.
During the course of his studies his music was performed in various countries around the world.
In 2012, his piece “Courage” for sinfonietta was chosen by the Bit 20 Ensemble (one of the leading contemporary music ensembles in the Nordic countries) to be performed at the Borealis Festival.
During the last years, Fredrick has written commissions for world famous bands like Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag, Black Dyke Band and soloist works recorded by Glenn van Looy and Joseph Cook. His music has also been chosen as set test pieces for band competitions in Europe, as well as writing the Set Test Piece for the European Brass Band Championship (EBBC) in Stavanger 2025.
In 2019, 2021 and 2022 he was also nominated «Piece of the year» and «Breakthrough of the year» in the category of Classical / Contemporary music at the Norwegian Publishers Award (Musikkforleggerprisen). In 2022, Fredrick was engaged as the «Young composer in residence» in the world famous, Black Dyke Band. The same year he also received the honor of being
chosen as the «Newcomer of the Year» by the world’s most visited brass band website, 4barsrest.com.
Besides working as a composer, Fredrick conducts several bands and instructs students.
Many of his compositions and arrangements have been published by leading publishers, such as Norsk Musikkforlag (Norwegian Band Music), BVT Music and Prima Vista Musikk and performed by some of the finest bands in the world.
Other works for winds include:
• Centennium (for Brass or Concert Band)
• Light (for Brass or Concert Band)
• Sollicitus (for Brass, Fanfare or Concert Band)
• Portrait (for Brass of Concert Band)
• Some Kind of Déjà Vu (Concert Band)
More on Fredrick Schjelderup