Choirs and orchestras in Oslo

Klemetsrud skole, Søndre Nordstrand

A school band at Klemetsrud giving children thorough training on brass instruments. A small band in a part of the city where it is a long way to other music activities, so having it nearby matters.

ages 8-18

Stovner skole, Stovner

A school choir with around sixty singers from years 1 to 7 at Stovner school. The choir sings at school assemblies, puts on its own concerts and holds choir discos, and performs at Rommen Scene - the district's main stage, which gives the children a very different audience from the school gym. A member of Ung i Kor Oslo.

ages 6-13

Engebråten skole, Nordre Aker

A parent-run youth orchestra for musicians from around thirteen to eighteen, rehearsing at Engebråten school on Tuesdays 6-8pm through the school year. Most members come from the string orchestras at Kjelsås, Grefsen and Disen, and this is where they carry on once they have outgrown the children's orchestra. Open to anyone who wants to join, and led by cellist and conductor Bård Bosrup from Oslo kulturskole.

ages 13-18

Kjelsås skole, Nordre Aker

A school band at Kjelsås for children and young people. The band is a fixture of the neighbourhood and plays in the 17 May parade among other things.

ages 7-18

Ullevål skole, Nordre Aker

A concert band for young musicians at Ullevål school, with aspirant admission for the youngest pupils. As in all school bands you borrow an instrument from the band and get tuition on it - the family does not need to buy anything to start. Follow the band's Facebook page for admission and rehearsal times.

ages 7-18

Lakkegata skole, Grünerløkka

One of Oslo's oldest school bands, founded in 1920, based at Lakkegata school by Sofienberg. More than a century of children starting out on an instrument here.

ages 7-18

Ila og Bolteløkka skole, St. Hanshaugen

A joint school band for the two schools on either side of St. Hanshaugen park, with 85 children and young people from age 9 upwards. Two schools joining forces is what makes a large band possible in the inner city, where each year group is small.

ages 9-18

Ruseløkka skole, Frogner

A choir school for girls who love to sing, from age 7 and up, with around 120 members across four choirs by age: the recruitment group (grades 2-3), the aspirant choir (grades 4-6), the main choir (grades 7-10) and the studio choir for the oldest. Admission is by audition, and the singers get thorough training with weekly rehearsals, individual lessons, concerts, recordings and tours at home and abroad. Rehearsals are at Ruseløkka school; the office is at Sentralen.

ages 7-18

Oslo katedralskole, St. Hanshaugen

A chamber choir for pupils at Oslo Cathedral School, one of the school's oldest societies. Choral singing and concerts in the school hall and city churches.

ages 16-18

Smestad skole, Ullern

A school band open to all children in the area, not only pupils at Smestad school. Beginners are welcome and instruments are lent out.

ages 7-18

Huseby skole, Vestre Aker

The band for pupils at Huseby and Holmen schools, a concert band with around eighty players aged 8 to 18. Two schools share one band, so children meet others from the neighbourhood and not only their own class.

ages 8-18

Nordberg kirke, Kringsjågrenda 1, Nordre Aker

A children's gospel choir in Nordberg parish at Kringsjå, with two groups. Lille-Bago is for children from four up to and including year 2 and rehearses on Wednesdays 5-5.45pm, and Store-Bago is for years 3 and 4 and rehearses on Wednesdays 6-7.15pm. Both meet in the parish room next to the church. Children's gospel is a simpler and more rhythmic way into choral singing than the classical repertoire, and the threshold is low - you sign up by contacting the choir's contact person.

ages 4-10

Uranienborg kirke, Frogner

The children's choir in Uranienborg church's choir school, split into two groups that both rehearse on Wednesdays - Choir 1 in the early afternoon and Choir 2 later on. The choir school has a long tradition and gives children systematic vocal training in one of the city's most beautiful church interiors. Church choirs are usually among the most affordable music options for children.

ages 6-13

Voksen skole, Vestre Aker

The school choir at Voksen school, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo, open to everyone who likes to sing. The school shares a brass band with Bogstad - one of Oslo's largest, with more than 140 players aged 8 to 18 - so the music scene around the two schools is unusually strong. The choir is the part of it that doesn't require buying or renting an instrument.

ages 6-13

Holmlia skole, Søndre Nordstrand

A school band for the Holmlia schools, taking beginners from year three. The band draws members from several schools in the area, and plays in the 17 May parade among other things.

ages 9-18

Huseby skole, Vestre Aker

A school choir with deep roots: Huseby school's girls' choir was set up as early as 1948, and today's choir was founded in the autumn of 1982 as an elective for sixth-graders. Interest was such that membership grew from 17 to 50 within a few months, as fourth- and fifth-graders wanted to join too. The choir has its own website and board, and is a member of Ung i Kor Oslo.

ages 6-13

Abildsø skole, Østensjø

A school band at Abildsø for children and young people. As in most school bands you borrow an instrument from the band and start as a beginner with no prior knowledge.

ages 7-18

Lakkegata skole, Gamle Oslo

The school choir at Lakkegata school in Gamle Oslo, led by conductor Emilie Bjørnstad. You sign up by sending the choir an email - no audition, no deadline to meet. Lakkegata is one of the city's oldest schools still in use, in the middle of a district where many children have parents from other countries, and the choir sings for everyone. A member of Ung i Kor Oslo.

ages 6-13

Grindbakken skole, Vestre Aker

The school choir at Grindbakken, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo, rehearsing at the school through the school year. Vestre Aker is the district with most school choirs in the city - six of its schools have their own - so a child who moves within the district can usually carry on singing at the new school. The choir performs at school events and in the local community.

ages 6-13

Lindeberg skole, Alna

A school band since 1976, rehearsing at Lindeberg school. It recruits from Jeriko, Lindeberg and Skjønnhaug schools, so children meet others from the neighbourhood and not only their own class. Group teaching on Wednesdays and individual lessons on Tuesdays.

ages 7-18

Høyenhall skole, Østensjø

A pupils' choir that has had happy singers since 1967, making it one of the oldest school choirs in Oslo still running. It is led by a professional conductor and stages its own show or concert every year - a bigger production than most school choirs manage. It rehearses on Wednesdays in the school hall, 2-3pm for years 4-10 and 3-4pm for years 1-3. A member of Ung i Kor Oslo, with its own website and board.

ages 6-16

Bøler kirke, Østensjø

A toddler choir at Bøler church for children from two to five, singing together with an adult. One of few choirs that take children before kindergarten age is over, with the grown-up taking part throughout.

ages 2-5

Kjelsås skole, Nordre Aker

The string counterpart to the school brass band: an orchestra for children at Kjelsås school and in the surrounding area, with three groups by level. Tutti Frutti for the youngest rehearses on Mondays, Non Stop for the slightly older on Thursdays, and the main orchestra on Thursday afternoons. Individual or small-group lessons run through the rest of the week. The aim is simple and old-fashioned in the best sense: to awaken an interest in music in primary-school children.

ages 6-16

Ullevål skole, Nordre Aker

A small string orchestra for children and young people in Ullevål hageby, teaching violin and cello with ensemble playing, ear training and singing at the centre. Every pupil gets both a group lesson and an individual lesson each week, in the afternoons Monday to Thursday and within after-school hours where possible. Beginners are mostly first- and second-graders, but other age groups are taken in as capacity allows. The orchestra borrows premises at Ullevål and Berg schools.

ages 6-15

Tøyen skole, Gamle Oslo

A children's orchestra rehearsing at Tøyen skole, rooted in the school's music programme in cooperation with Oslo culture school. All pupils from years 2 to 7 get group tuition on an orchestral instrument, and the ensemble playing is split into four levels: rekrutter, aspirant, junior and the main orchestra.

ages 7-16

Mørtelverksbakken 5, Bjerke

A choir for children and young people from four to sixteen, founded in Oslo in 2023 by conductor and music teacher Larysa Smaga. The choir is open to everyone - both children with Ukrainian backgrounds and children of other nationalities who want to sing together - and the repertoire is Ukrainian and international. The children develop in a warm and trusting atmosphere, and for the Ukrainian families the choir is a place where the connection to their own culture is kept alive. One of few choirs in the city that welcomes four-year-olds.

ages 4-16

Voldsløkka kulturstasjon, Sagene

Norwegian folk singing, known as kveding, for children from seven. One hour a week over 35 weeks, with an emphasis on dialect, tradition and delivery. A distinctive offering that easily disappears among ordinary choirs.

ages 7-18

Nordstrand kirke, Nordstrand

A children's and youth choir rehearsing in Nordstrand church, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. Singing and voice development for children and youth from first grade.

ages 6-18

Oslo, Sentrum

Norway's national youth choir for rhythmic singing, founded in 2019, where ambitious young singers gather to perform pop, jazz, soul, folk music and spirituals at a high level. The choir has around 20 singers aged 17 to 26, works in gatherings through the year, and is a natural next step for young people who want to pursue singing outside the classical tradition.

ages 17-18

Bekkelaget skole, Nordstrand

The school band at Bekkelaget school, with aspirant admission for pupils in the lower grades. The band welcomes children with no prior knowledge: you borrow an instrument, and the tuition happens within the band. Alongside weekly rehearsals there are concerts, playing on 17 May and a band trip - and a social community that often lasts throughout the school years.

ages 7-18

Lysejordet skole, Ullern

A children's choir with around sixty pupils at Lysejordet school, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. At that size it is one of the larger school choirs in the west of the city, and big enough to split into parts - which means the children learn to hold their own line against others, not just sing in unison. Rehearsals are at the school through the school year.

ages 6-13

Oslo domkirke, Sentrum

A boys' choir at Oslo Cathedral for boys aged 6 to 13 who like to sing, with an aspirant and soprano group - and dedicated voice groups for alto, tenor and bass from age 16. All members get individual singing lessons and music training in addition to choir rehearsals, which run every Tuesday afternoon in the cathedral. Admission is by audition.

ages 6-18

Bekkelaget skole, Nordstrand

A school choir that meets every Monday in the music room at Bekkelaget school, under conductor Tone. Through the year the choir gives concerts, sings at the school's Christmas service, performs on 17 May and has an overnight stay in the school gym - the last of these is often the highlight for the youngest. A member of Ung i Kor Oslo.

ages 6-13

Grefsen skole, Nordre Aker

A children's choir rehearsing at Grefsen skole during after school hours, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. A long tradition and singing for local children.

ages 6-13

Bestum skole, Ullern

School band at Bestum school, playing together every Tuesday. Children start as beginners with no prior experience and borrow an instrument from the band.

ages 7-18

Prinsdal skole, Søndre Nordstrand

A wind band founded in 1955, with children and young people from both Prinsdal and Toppåsen schools. Recruiting pupils from two schools is exactly what makes a full band possible in an area where either school alone would have too few players.

ages 8-18

Grefsen skole, Nordre Aker

A parent-run neighbourhood orchestra recruiting mainly from Grefsen school, with tuition on violin, viola, cello and double bass and rehearsals at the school. Together with Grefsen school's junior strings and Engebråten Ungdomsstrykere it forms an unbroken path from age five to eighteen, so children can stay in the same community throughout their school years. The termly fee is 3,000 kroner, and instruments can be rented for 400 kroner a term.

ages 5-18

Grefsen kirke, Nordre Aker

A children's choir for the very youngest, from three to eight years old, rehearsing in Grefsen church every other Monday in even-numbered weeks. Short half-hour sessions are adapted to small children who don't sit still for long, and the barrier is low - all you need is a wish to sing. One of few choirs in the city that welcomes three-year-olds.

ages 3-8

Nordstrand kirke, Nordstrand

A children's choir for ages 4-9 in Nordstrand parish, where joy, community and musical development through play and song are central. The repertoire sits closer to gospel and soul than traditional church music, so it really swings - and the youngest get to sing with no requirement to read music.

ages 4-9

Voksen og Bogstad skole, Vestre Aker

The school band for Voksen and Bogstad schools, and one of the very best in the country - it has won the first division of the Norwegian school band championship. Children start as aspirants from third grade and up, and get both an instrument and a uniform on loan, plus a dedicated instructor for their instrument. A school band is one of few activities where children play in an ensemble from the first year, and where the 17 May parade is the highlight.

ages 7-18

Ullern kirke, Ullern

Ullern parish's choir programme is split in two: the Aspirant Choir for grades 1-3 and the Children's Choir for grades 4-7, so children meet peers and repertoire suited to their own age. The parish also has dedicated music offerings for the very youngest. Singing in a church space gives children an acoustic they rarely experience elsewhere.

ages 6-13

Grorud skole, Grorud

The school band at Grorud school, one of few bands in the Groruddalen valley and an important cultural offering in a district with fewer organised activities. Aspirants are admitted from the lower grades, instruments are borrowed from the band, and tuition happens within the band itself. Follow the Facebook page for rehearsal times and admission.

ages 7-18

Fernanda Nissen skole, Sagene

A parent-run school choir with the motto 'We sing together', open to every child at Fernanda Nissen school. The conductor is Marthe Aa, a trained conductor and music teacher, and the choir is a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. The school is one of the newest in Oslo, built on the old industrial site at Storo, and the choir is among the first regular activities to grow up there.

ages 6-13

K1, Kolstadgata 1, Gamle Oslo

A children's and youth choir rehearsing at K1 in Tøyen, open to all local children. Singing and the joy of choir regardless of background or experience.

ages 6-15

Høybråten skole, Stovner

A children's string orchestra rehearsing at Høybråten skole, with members also from other schools and districts. Tuition on violin and cello and playing together in an orchestra, with separate junior and senior rehearsals.

ages 7-16

Hasle skole, Grünerløkka

A brass band at Hasle, founded in 1960, with around 120 children and young people from age 7 upwards - one of the largest school bands in the city. Being a brass band means brass and percussion, no woodwind, which gives it a sound of its own.

ages 7-18

Paulus kirke, Grünerløkka, Grünerløkka

Paulus and Sofienberg parish gathers children in Paulus church every other Tuesday for dinner and children's singing - a combination that makes it easy for families to make it after work and kindergarten. The meal is part of the arrangement, and the singing is pitched so that both four-year-olds and school children can join in.

ages 4-12

Høybråten skole, Stovner

A school wind band at Høybråten which turned a hundred in 2026, with around 64 members. The band lends out instruments, and its beginner intake means you can start with no prior knowledge. One of the oldest children's bands in the city, and a fixture of the district's 17 May celebrations.

ages 9-18

Torshov kirke, Sagene

Singing session for the youngest, ages 2 to 6, every other Wednesday at 17:00 in Torshov church, run by the YWCA-YMCA. From 16:00 the family can buy a simple dinner for whatever you can pay before the singing. All children and parents are welcome, just show up; voluntary membership costs 50 kroner.

ages 2-6

Fagerborg skole, St. Hanshaugen

A children's and youth choir rehearsing in the main hall at Fagerborg lower secondary school on Wednesdays from 5pm, where the children's and youth choirs start together. The children's choir takes members from year 3 and the youth choir from year 7, so singers can stay through their whole schooling. The choir is a member of Ung i Kor Oslo, has its own conductor and welcomes new singers of any level - you can join a rehearsal first to see whether it suits you.

ages 8-18

Grindbakken skole, Vestre Aker

School band at Grindbakken school, with a long history in the neighbourhood. Beginners are welcome with no prior experience, and instruments are lent out by the band.

ages 7-18

Tåsen skole, Nordre Aker

A school band founded in 1927, with both a concert band and its own drill troupe - the drill section was added in 2003. The band admits aspirants from the lower grades, lends out instruments and provides tuition, and the drill troupe is an alternative for children who would rather march with a baton than play. Almost a century at Tåsen.

ages 7-18

Korsvoll skole, Nordre Aker

String orchestra at Korsvoll school rehearsing every Monday: a starter orchestra from 17:00 to 17:45, a children's orchestra for ages 9 to 12 from 17:30 to 19:30 and a youth orchestra for 13 to 19 from 18:00 to 20:00. Beginners get tuition on violin, viola, cello or double bass with lessons arranged between teacher and pupil.

ages 9-18

Frelsesarmeen Oslo sentrum, Sentrum

A children's choir at the Salvation Army in central Oslo, open to children who want to sing whatever their background. The repertoire leans towards gospel and worship music, with plenty of rhythm and movement, and Salvation Army choirs are known for welcoming everyone with a low threshold. Listed on UngFritid, where you can sign up directly.

ages 5-13

Bogstad skole, Vestre Aker

A school choir for pupils from years 2 to 7 at Bogstad, where the joy of singing is central and everyone in those years is welcome to join. There is no audition. Alongside the choir, Bogstad and Voksen share a school brass band with more than 140 players, so children at the school can choose between voice and instrument - or do both.

ages 6-13

Linderud skole, Bjerke

Linderudkoret at Linderud school in Bjerke, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. Bjerke has few regular music offerings for children, and this is the only school choir we have registered in the district. That makes it a more important way into music here than comparable choirs are in the western districts, where children can choose between several.

ages 6-13

Sagene skole, Sagene

The school band at Sagene school, open to pupils from the lower grades and up. Children borrow an instrument and learn to play it from scratch, while playing together with others from the very start. School bands are among the most affordable music options for children, since the instrument and tuition come with membership.

ages 7-18

Toppåsen skole, Søndre Nordstrand

The school choir at Toppåsen in Søndre Nordstrand, a member of Ung i Kor Oslo. The district has two school choirs, and Toppåsen is one of them. Choral singing is one of the cheapest organised activities there is for children - no instrument to buy, no equipment to rent - and in a district where many families have tight finances that matters more than in most places.

ages 6-13

Lysejordet skole, Ullern

A school band for pupils at Lysejordet school, taking beginners who have not played before. The school also has a children's choir, so a child who wants to do music can choose between singing and playing without changing venue.

ages 7-18

Godlia skole, Østensjø

A joint school choir for Godlia and Trasop, two neighbouring schools in Østensjø that share both a choir and a brass band. Combining the two gives a big enough base to split into parts and put on proper concerts, which is hard when each school goes it alone. A member of Ung i Kor Oslo.

ages 6-13