On January 5, 6, 7, 8 Ole Edvard Antonsen did four New Year’s concerts with Stavanger Symphony Orchestra where he both conducted the orchestra, performed as soloist, and served as the master of the ceremonies. The soprano Marita Kvarving Sølberg also performed various pieces as soloist. These concerts were an immediate success, and Antonsen was rehired to conduct the orchestra also in 2006 and 2007. This was also his debut as conductor with a Symphony Orchestra, and it really whetted his appetite!

On January 6th, Stavanger Aftenblad wrote in an interview with Ole Edvard Antonsen:
"Ole Edvard Antonsen takes over Arve Tellefsen's role as conductor, soloist, and master of ceremonies during the New Year's concerts on  Friday and Saturday.

- No, I have never performed all these three tasks simultaneously before, but it is incredibly fun, and the rehearsals went well, says Ole Edvard Antonsen.

He does not wish to focus on that he is taking over for Arve Tellefsen. He must in any case be himself.

- Are you going to play Haydn's trumpet concerto?
- No, I'm not. There will be some smaller pieces which are well known as well, but the program is in fact a secret.
- Are you going to portray your total width, from classical music to pop?
- The New Year's concert is characterized by traditions with a few surprises intertwined. The tradition will be kept this year too, Antonsen assured.

Together with him he has the soloist Marita Kvarving Sølberg who is in the middle of her opera/concert career after winning the international Queen Sonja Competition in 2001. The program will present a small taste of opera and a spectacular width in the repertoire, larger than expected from similar singers.

The head of the orchestra, Erik Landmark, looks forward to the new leadership of the popular New Year's concerts with great excitement.  He finds Antonsen to be pleasantly verbal in addition to his skills as trumpeter. Conducting is something he is familiar with from bands.

At the first New Year's Concert on Jørpeland last night, the tickets were sold out in half an hour. Tonight a closed concert for Statoil, the Symphony Orchestra's sponsor, will take place. There are a few tickets available for Friday and Saturday. Mayor Leif Johan Sevland will present a Happy New Year's greeting during the concert on Friday.

- We will also demonstrate our solidarity to the victims of the flooding catastrophe during the New Year's Concerts. The program will carry some slight alterations because of this, says Erik Landmark.

Ole Edvard Antonsen reports that he has got a lot of exciting projects going for the new year which just started.

- I will premiere four major works for trumpet on the international arena. In February I will tour Scotland together with Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In May I will play my trumpets in Germany, this will be followed by participation in a chamber music festival in Hardanger. This fall I will visit Sweden with my performances. In between this I am busy with my own project; a concert where I pull forth the total depth of my musical landscape - everything from classical to pop. This is a concert-project that I do both in Norway and internationally, says Ole Edvard Antonsen informatively."

By Eldri Espedal Storhaug, Jan. 6th, 2005
Translation Vera Hørven