The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra of Tromsø and Bodø, Norway, far north of the Arctic Circle, is the world's northernmost professional symphony orchestra. Images of orchestra players often show snowy settings but this is more than a marketing concept: in the words of the orchestra's website, "The High North with its nature and history is a strategic fundament for the Arctic Philharmonic...The Arctic is the core in both the visual and the artistic profile. ..."The orchestra strives to be as raw and real as the surrounding nature, and each musician tries to reach the outer limits of their performance and communication with the audience." That artistic profile has extended far beyond Norway's northern region. The Arctic Philharmonic was founded in 2009. It encompasses several associated ensembles: the Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the Arctic Philharmonic Sinfonietta (devoted to music from the early 20th century to the present), and the Arctic Opera, which mounts full-scale operatic productions in the far north. Together these groups present about 150 concerts annually, focusing on contemporary Norwegian music, especially that associated with the north, but also on mainstream classical repertory. The orchestra has collaborated with groups from other genres including folk, jazz, and pop. Its music director is Christian Lindberg, an internationally recognized trombonist and conductor; he has led the orchestra on tours around Europe and as far afield as Taipei, Taiwan. Remarkably for an orchestra from a city with a population of under 100,000, the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra has had an exclusive relationship with the prestigious Swedish label BIS. They issued a performance of the Symphony No. 1 of Norwegian composer Ole Olsen (1850-1927) on that label in 2011 and have recorded mostly, but not exclusively Norwegian music since then; a group of Tchaikovsky symphonies appeared in the mid-2010s. The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, with violinist Peter Herresthal, released a recording featuring the Violin Concerto of Eivind Buene and the violin concerto under city skin by Rolf Wallin in 2018. ~ James Manheim, Rovi