Backstage at Grieghallen

It's me again. And quite some extraordinary days in Røros - such an amazing looking place! Lovely to meet up with good musician friends and also to meet new ones ;)







And I also wanted to answer some questions that people ask me a lot (also here at the blog comment section ;) )

My instruments:
Bb trumpet - Bach Stradivarius 37
C trumpet - Yamaha Xeno Chicago
Eb trumpet - Schilke
Piccolo - Yamaha and Schagerl

Mouthpiece:
Bach 1 1/4 C

Thanks for lovely comments about my Carnegie Debut! My last encore was Libertango by Astor Piazzolla. And of course I would love to come to all the countries in the world and play ... ;) just check out my web site for concert dates.

Rehearsal now - have to be on stage.

Tine ;)

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Between Oslo and Røros

Blog entry 9th of March

Is it really possible that time are flying by at this horribly rapid speed?!? Already 8 days of March has been filled with concerts and a lot of thinking. Sometimes it feels like over 50% of what happens in my life actually goes on inside my head... Sometimes it's cozy in there, other times quite hectic - and right now it's the latter. A lot of stuff to sort out, I might be making things bigger than they actually are, but at least these 5 hours at the train gives me a lot of time to explore every single thought up there ;)

I'm looking forward to coming to Røros, it will be my first time! A festival with so many friends so I don't really see another option than having a great time.

For all you Norwegians out there reading this you should also start to follow the blog tenThing has just started! Promise you that you will get to know us all better. Maybe you watched the Norwegian Grammy on Saturday? We absolutely loved playing there!
Anyway, here's a picture of me from backstage:





Wishing you all the best from inside my head - in the middle of all my thoughts ;)
Tine



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On my way home from New York

Blog entry 25th of February 2011



It’s been quite a while since my last entry. Christmas is over and the New Year has begun, and what a year so far! My schedule before Christmas Eve was hectic, I actually landed in Oslo on the morning of the 24th – and that’s when my holiday started. Great to have good friends with me when I’m touring, Dagrun (my best friend since we were both 6 years old) celebrated early Christmas in Zurich, and Maren joined me for a spa experience (and a concert of course…!) at Schloss Elmau in Germany at my very soft beginning of the season in January ☺


So, I’m in the air again! Feels like this is the time I like the best to write something. I’m on a flight from New York to Stockholm, and then I have another flight home to Oslo. Had a very exiting, long week in the big apple! Started with the final destination of me and Håvard Gimse’s recital tour: the Carnegie Hall. We had some concerts in Germany as well, and I just love touring with Håvard. Amazing pianist, but also a great travel companion – that is also very important! So, I just have to way that New York really was a mind-blowing experience, so special to me. It’s not every day you play in Carnegie Hall, and I really appreciate the wonderful audience that made it so easy for me to perform, they made me feel at home and that is the best feeling an artist can have on stage.
Sorry – have to go, “…as we are about to land…” is heard over the speakers! Will write more at Arlanda ☺


I wanted to write more at Arlanda, but I fell asleep… In front of many people… while we were sitting and eating… I heard people laughing, but I couldn’t help it, too tired… Not caring… Zzzzz…


At home now, trying to fight my jetlag! A lot of crazy things going on now, and I will make sure to tell you as soon as I can… Very proud of the feature in BBC Music Magazine this month ☺

Will write more soon, now I just have to sleep…
Tinezzzzzzzzzz…..

On my way to Luxembourg

Blog entry 12th of December 2010

It’s Christmas time! But I have to admit that I have yet to feel the exhilarating, joyful sparks that I felt when I was younger. And also since I mostly travel this whole November-December period – the homey Christmas feeling is hard to find… I’m on my way to Luxembourg, my first time there, and I’m really looking forward! Have heard great things about this small country were the capital and country share the same name (that is very convenient, by the way, easy to remember – more kings (or whoever decides the names?) should have thought of that!).

It’s an especially pleasant flight from Oslo to Copenhagen today. Very quiet and I have an amazing view out my window. A SAS crew member made my day with an upgrade, and I’m sitting here now trying to read a book I just bought (of course RIGHT now I’m writing this blog, but you know what I mean…). One by Terry Pratchett and it has a witch on the cover. It’s been a while since I read about witches and since I’m a maniac Harry Potter fan I felt that I needed some refuel on the wizard and witchcraft literature. And besides, I just loved the opening paragraph:

“Why was it, Tiffany Aching wondered, that people liked noise so much? Why was noise so important? Something quite close sounded like a cow giving birth. It turned out to be an old hurdy-gurdy organ, hand-cranked by a raggedy man in a battered top hat. She sidled away as politely as she could, but as noise went, it was sticky; you got the feeling that if you let it, it would try to follow you home.”

Just a brilliant way of describing… I’m almost certain I will enjoy this book.
I’ve been up to quite a lot since my last blog entry. The tour with the Trondheim Soloists went very well, I had a wonderful time both in the concert and on travel days ☺, always great to travel with people you know. Then at the beginning of this week I was in Kristiansand, I played a Christmas concert with the orchestra there. Great atmosphere and so many people showing up for the concert! And I also have to mentioned that it was absolutely great to meet up with Isa Gericke again, wonderful soprano and friend, who sings on my Christmas album that was released last year. Truly special that woman ☺

Yesterday I did a concert with my band, Tine Thing Helseth Quartet, and that is something I’m always looking forward too and always enjoys tremendously. Jarle, Aksel and Erik truly are great guys and when Morten joins the forces with his bass clarinet nothing can stop us… ha-ha ☺

Fasten-Seat-belt sign is on, so bye for now.
Just remember to look out for noises that want to follow you home…
Best from up in the sky,
Tine ☺

On tour with the Trondheim Soloists

Blog entry 27th of November 2010

On tour with the Trondheim Soloists

It’s cold outside….

-17 degrees Celsius, that is really cold. No other way of saying it and this was the temperature yesterday in Trondheim. I’m going on tour to Switzerland and Germany with the Trondheim Soloists, not the first time on tour with them, always a pleasure! Five concerts on eight days, so that is not too bad - Berlin and Cologne are among the cities we’ll be visiting. Four trumpet concertos on the repertoire – a different mix in every concert ☺

The last month and the next is really busy – I’m not home much – feels like I’m constantly on the road. It’s strange how well I adjust to this lifestyle. The last weeks have included Sweden with Gävle Symphony Orchestra and Venezuelan conductor Christian Vasquez, concert at a “castle” with my friend Ida on harp, Tour of Finnmark (the very north of Norway) and meeting very nice people in Inderøy! When I say that I adjust well I mean that I enjoy it – but there are still some times when I wish that each day had 48 hours…. So that I could be home more. At the moment, my mother, little sister and me are moving to a new house! It’s all very exciting – but I’m not at home. So my mother has to do everything, and that is not so easy for me, I feel sad for not being there. Not being able to help with all the things that has to be done – all the unexpected things that arrives (!) – and to say a proper goodbye to the place I’ve lived for the last 13 years. When I left this Wednesday it was the last time I’ll carry my heavy suitcase and all my trumpets down the two long stairs, because when I come back on Monday in little over a week the new house will be our home. I wont be there long though, only one night and then I’m off again. That’s my life – and I love it – but at times like this I also wish that I had the ability to be two places at once ☺

Trying to eat my salad (can really recommend the pasta salads on SAS, not bad for flight food!) and writing. I’ve really got the hang of doing useful things while flying lately – for instant I find it the perfect time to answer emails. Of course they will not be sent until I come to the nearest Wi-Fi (at the hotel or airport) but it feels great just to have done it! Right now also enjoying Josh Groban’s new Album “Illuminations”, perfect music to listen to with all the noise from the airplane.

I will try to write more soon,
Best from high up in the sky,
Tine :-)

Up in the air...

Blog entry 19th of October 2010


It’s funny how every single person sees themselves as the centre of their own universe. Every one of us has different priorities, goals and thoughts concerning how we should live our lives. High up in the air everything seems small. All the houses are like tiny dots, the clouds look like sweet candy, the cars are like moving bacteria under a microscope – the reality seems far away. I love flying. I mean, I should correct myself; I love flying as long as there is no turbulence. I hate turbulence. Luckily for me, today’s first flight is so far without any turbulence. The movement of a plane just drifting away is so calming, it goes so smooth – and then you can kind of forget about all the crazy things down there. As soon as the turbulence comes you are awaken – reminded that the world still goes on, your life is still down there waiting for you.

I’m on my way to France. This will be my official debut here, and I’m very much looking forward to it! Four concerts with Orchestre National de Lille and conductor Michael Stern, Hummel’s trumpet concerto is on the program.

It’s been a while since I last wrote. I can say I’m sorry because I kind of am, but at the same time this is how it’s always going to be. That’s how I am – sometimes I write – sometimes I don’t. But my goal is of course that there should be more dos than don’ts.
The last three months has been great! So many wonderful experiences. And for those of you who like bird song – I’m also on Twitter! I’m quite good at updating that one ☺ Trying to post some impressions from the road – funny. Also great way to communicate, thanks for all the comments!


So – that’s it for now. Just wanted to show you how a dressing room full of wigs and a crazy conductor can be the perfect mix. No idea why he didn’t use that one on stage…
Yours from the road
Tine ☺

Spain

Blog entry 16th of July 2010

Á Coruna Aeroporto (Airport)

One hour until my plane is supposed to head for Madrid, it’s 6 am in the morning… Sitting at the gate, it’s very dark outside – and it’s raining. I’ve just finished a short tour in Spain together with the Trondheim Soloists, three concerts in the northern part of the country: Santiago de Compostella, Lugo and Ferrol. My last destination today is not Madrid. I will – if everything goes as planned – end up in Trollhättan in Sweden later today. My route today is: Á Coruna – Madrid – Amsterdam – Gothenburg, and then I will go by car to Trollhättan. Or rather, someone will drive me to Trollhättan. My drivers license is yet to be qualified for, I’m really a late bloomer in that area. The thing is, in Oslo, it’s no problem not to have a drivers license. I live so close to the centre with very good public transport connections that I can get wherever I want in quite a short time. So – therefore I have postponed my driving career to a later time in life…

I had a really nice time here in Spain, I will post some pictures so you can see some of the nice things I’ve experienced. We lived in Santiago de Compostella – an old beautiful city – with the most amazing Cathedral. A lot of Pilgrims come here, especially this year as it is what they call a holy year. Also arriving in Spain on Monday was quite great – the day after their great victory in the world championship! The national soccer team were actually supposed to arrive in Madrid at the same time as us! Unfortunately their plane was delayed.

So, here you see some pictures :)

Best for now,

Tine

Pictures from the last months

Hi everyone,
Here are some pictures from what I've been up to for the last monts!
Promise to write more soon :)
What you see: Finland (Pori, funny sign and the concert hall). Dortmund (look who was at the poster outside my dressingroom door!)(And the most amazing pink scooter, I want one!!) Tine Thing Helseth Quartett in action :) Old Oslo tram and beautiful view from the fortress in Fredriksten.
Tine

Video blog :-)

Hi everyone,
My first video blog. (in english)
All the best,
Tine

On my way to Tromsø

Blog entry 3rd of February 2010

Oslo Airport Gardermoen

Eating pizza… I shouldn’t, really, but I just couldn’t help it. I just got the message that my flight was an hour delayed (because of late incoming cabin crew) and before a knew what had gotten into me I had ordered two slices of pizza and was paying for a bottle of sparkling water with the taste of mango. These things just happens… Looking at the bright side of the situation, I’m now enjoying some great pizza, and because of the delay, I have some extra time to write. Writing always calms me down, I should definitely do it more often.

I’m on my way to Tromsø, up in the north of Norway. There is a festival there, and I will play a concert on Friday. First rehearsal with the orchestra is tomorrow morning. Saturday, I go back to Oslo, and then on Sunday I start rehearsing with tenThing for our two concerts the next week. It’s been a long while since we were together, so I’m really looking forward to these days. We have a lot of exciting things coming up this year with the ensemble, so it’s going to be good to get started and feel how our reportoire is getting better and also expanding.

The last couple of weeks, since my latest entry, have been filled with wonderful experiences. I’ve played our official debut concert with Tine Thing Helseth Quartett (Jarle-guitar, Erik-perc and Aksel-bass), been to Kongsberg and played 5 concerts in one day ending with fun baroque concert with Barokksolistene and Bjarte Eike, played in Gstaad with Camerata Bern and Lorenza Borrani, had a recital with Vebjørn Anvik playing songs only, had masterclasses with great kids (everything from string quartet to guitar ensemble!), played charity concert for Haiti, visited and played with incredibly warm and generous people in Volda, and the list goes on. But, I must say that sometimes I feel a strong need to just be me, without my instrument and without my music. Just Tine. In some periods there isn’t so much time for that, and it can be very frustrating. But, I love what I do. You probably think; of course she does, but it’s something really strong. At some points stronger than anything else, so it’s not so weird that Tine without the trumpet sometimes gets a bit lost.

In the air between Oslo and Tromsø

Finally in the air, the flight is almost full. I’m seated at the aisle, a man at the window and the middle seat is free, I like that extra space. I like to watch people when I’m travelling. In all the different places you always see the same types, only in a different setting. Today, I’m joined by a lovely mix. Some American tourists, the whole Tromsø football team, some students who’s back from a study trip (as far as I can understand from their loud conversations at the airport), three middle-aged ladies who’s been enjoying the sun in Spain, husbands waiting to get home to their wife and children and then you also have the rest of us (including a cracy trumpet-playing, suitcase-living girl☺). I don’t mean to listen to people’s conversations, but sometime the combination of voice and volume is hard to block out… ☺

The flight is a bit bumpy today, maybe the pilot is flying as fast as he can to try to make the delay a little bit shorter than it already is. Anyway, if I don’t want to get sick, I think I have to say bye for now.

I’ll write soon again, until then, make sure not to do anything unexpected when your mind is set on the opposite, it might cause a brain-crash…
Tine ☺