Nilsen said the audacity got the better of him when Dons performed his own song as main speaker last year, and he suggested a brass band arrangement. The timing is perfect because Tromsø is the European Youth Capital this year, Nilsen added. Composer Alexander Aarøen Pedersen, who has a background in film music from Hollywood, wrote a new arrangement for brass band incorporating the melody of the TIL song.
Sør-Tromsøya Skolekorps will lead the premiere performance, conducted by Rolf Figenschau, who has led the band for 24 years. Figenschau said the sheet music was distributed on a Friday with limited rehearsal time after Easter, but the musicians are enthusiastic and feel the song swings. Dons said lyrics will be distributed at Stortorget on the day so the whole city can participate.
The audacity got the better of me last year when we had Roar Dons as the main speaker and he performed his own song. I couldn't resist saying that this would be fantastic to have as a brass band arrangement.
The city also needed a renewal, alongside the 98-year-old song that we have used and will continue to use. This year it fits especially well with this renewal since Tromsø is the European Youth Capital.
It is an honor, and of course very, very nice. It is at least a love song to Tromsø, and about Tromsø, and perhaps especially the people and all the different nationalities and people who live in the city.
This will be a hit. The melody means I have to be in the committee for a few more years so we can teach it further. A little input in the background with 'Heia TIL' – can it get any better?
On the day itself, lyrics will be handed out at Stortorget so that all of Tromsø can be part of writing history when 'Nordens Paris' for the first time resounds together with the city's traditional brass band tones.