WREXHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Runar Valheim Værnes – Trombone

Born in Norway in 1978, Runar started playing the Cornet in the local school band, Sunde Skolekorps, at the age of 8, and the Euphonium at the age of  13, before eventually settling on trombone by the age of 17. After finishing his military service in HM the King's Guards, he got the Bass Trombone chair in Stavanger Brass Band, soon advancing to the Solo Trombone position. After three years of musical studies at the Conservatory in Stavanger, in 1998 he successfully auditioned to be a substitute for the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra trombonists, and since then has played in the SSO on several occasions, also playing the Euphonium in the orchestra when necessary. The season 2001-02 saw his first long-term engagement as a professional musician, in the Norwegian Army Military Band Trøndelag in Trondheim, Norway, as well as playing occasionally with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.

Conducting Runar in the Stavanger Brass Band, of course, was conductor Russell Gray. When Leyland band found themselves without a suitable principal trombonist, and with the National Brass Band Finals approaching in 2005, Russell knew exactly who to contact. Not only did Runar oblige, but went on within the competition to win for himself the Best Instrumentalist prize. Their partnership continued with a performance of Larsson’s trombone concertino with the WSO in December 2006.

December 1006

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