She Composes Like A Man is the third album at NativeDSD from trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth. It follows her albums Seraph with Ensemble Allegria and Magical Memories for Trumpet and Organ with Kare Nordstoga, a NativeDSD Album of the Week selection.

This album features the music of 13 female composers performed by Tine Thing Helseth and the tenThing Brass Ensemble.  It takes its title from an outdated quote that once described Ethel Smyth’s music.

The album is Exclusively Available at NativeDSD in Stereo DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128 and DSD 64 plus the recorded format of Stereo DXD. 

Good music is good music no matter what, but a little extra girl power never hurts. In observance of the story of Ethel Smyth and the critic who praised Smyth for ‘composing like a man’, tenThing knew that this had to be the title of their new album, released on the LAWO Classics label.

It’s both wonderfully provocative and something to bring a wry smile to the face. From Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn to Florence Price and Ethel Smyth, this program celebrates the work of female composers from around the world in world premiere transcriptions for the brass ensemble.

Tine says “When I was growing up, it was entirely normal for girls to play both trombone and tuba, and for me playing trumpet felt like the most natural thing in the world. However, in the professional music world this was not necessarily the case. In many countries, there is still a long way to go in terms of gender equality in the brass world. It feels incredibly good to play with the other musicians in tenThing. We trust each other. Without a doubt, trust and security are some of the things I value most when making music with others, and this applies to life in general. She composes like a man is a project that means a lot to me. It means a lot to us.”

Formed in 2007 by critically acclaimed Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth as a fun and exciting collaboration between musical friends, the ten-piece, all-female brass ensemble tenThing have firmly established themselves on the international scene to great acclaim. tenThing are celebrated for their commitment to outreach and access to music through diverse repertoire. The group work closely with Norwegian guitarist and arranger Jarle Storlokken in the arrangement of scores for the ensemble.

Tine Thing Helseth, Trumpet & Leader

tenThing Brass Ensemble
Maren Ingeborg Tjernsli (trumpet)
Ingrid Eliassen (trumpet)
Elin Holmen Kurverud (flugelhorn)
Lena Wik (horn)
Heidi Solem (tuba)
Astri Karoline Ellann (bass trombone)
Marie Nokleby Hanssen (trombone)
Ingebjorg Klovholt (trombone)
Tone Christin Lium (trombone)