RCO Corporate March 2017

year 4 - number 6 - march 2017

From left to right: Ralph Hamers (CEO of ING), Daniele Gatti, Jan Zijderveld (President of Unilever Europe) and Jan Raes.

RCO Opening Night 2016 Daniele Gatti’s inauguration as the orchestra’s seventh chief conductor The inauguration of the Royal Concert-

casion of his twenty-fifth anniversary as

ductor, Daniele Gatti, took place on RCO

my mind that you will keep the rich tradi-

gebouw Orchestra’s seventh chief conOpening Night on 9 September 2016.

In the presence of all the movers and shakers of the Dutch corporate sector, including

chief conductor. ‘There will be no doubt in

tion of this outstanding orchestra alive and

that you will add your own chapter to its most glorious history,’ said the minister.

the orchestra’s own corporate partners,

Featuring works by Schubert, Mozart,

young professionals from firms including

offered Maestro Gatti every opportunity to

members of its business club De Salon and ING, Unilever and PwC, the Dutch Minister of Culture Jet Bussemaker presented the orchestra’s new chief conductor with the golden conductor’s baton which Eduard van Beinum received in 1956 on the oc-

Mahler, Verdi and more, the programme demonstrate his versatility. Following the prolonged and enthusiastic applause at the

end of the concert, the partners attending were given the chance to meet the new chief conductor in the Museum Foyer.

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14 September 2017 RCO Opening Night is the world-renowned Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s festive opening to the season at the Concertgebouw – a splendid concert evening of the highest international calibre, complete with a dinner buffet and champagne beforehand and a get-together with the orchestral musicians at the after-party.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam

Interview with Julia Tom

Music’s role as a bridge between cultures At the brand-new premises of De Sa-

lon member NautaDutilh, Julia Tom was awarded the Prix de Salon for her pro­ject entitled Folk Songs Translated on

15 November 2016. The cellist intends to put the €7,500 in prize money towards

making a CD of chamber works based on

David Bazen, Director of Business Affairs and Media, and Julia Tom, winner of the Prix de Salon.

folk music from a range of cultures.

What does winning this prize mean to you?

erything seemed to fall into place. The cur-

mendous opportunity. I’ve been dream-

own life story, but the choice of repertoire

‘I consider it a great honour and a tre-

ing about this project for years, and the prize really gives me the chance to make

my dream come true. The role of music as a bridge between different cultures has always been an important theme for me.’

How so?

‘I grew up in California, the daughter of parents with Chinese roots, so I speak Eng-

lish, Mandarin and Spanish. My father,

too, was an unusual mix of cultures – he was born to Chinese parents in San Fran-

cisco’s Chinatown. At the age of twelve, he

fell in love with Western classical music, and he was the first person ever to expose me to it. He was a wonderful pianist.’

How was the idea behind Folk Songs Translated born?

‘The plan developed in a kind of roundabout way. Two years ago, I submitted a similar plan for the Prix de Salon, but

rent project is still strongly linked with my

is broader, so that many more different

‘I’ve been dreaming

You want to convey a clear message with this

about this project for

behind the RCO meets Europe project, don’t you

years, and this prize

‘Our world is made up of a wealth of differ-

really gives me the

people will continue to open their hearts to

chance to make my

the Berlin Wall had fallen only ten years

dream come true.’

yet. It was a time of hope, in which open-

The choice of repertoire featured on the CD

shared ideals. With my project Folk Songs

two pieces in the Chinese folk tradition, as well

CD, one which is very much in line with the idea think?

ent cultures. And it’s my fervent hope that

that idea. When I came to Europe in 1997, before. The euro hadn’t been introduced

ness and togetherness were thought of as

Translated, I hope to remind people in some small way of the good that can come from being mutually open to others and to their own personal stories, as well as the amazing richness we experience as a result.’

How has the project shaped your own develop-

music was also very personal to me. In the

‘Gosh… It’s such a broadly inclusive

ment?

interim, I’ve performed a number of works

project, and that’s very exciting to me in

were new to me, like the Chinese composer

much inspiration from it, but it’s also a

with my colleagues in the orchestra which

Tan Dun’s Concerto for String Quartet and Zheng. Another work was Manuel de Falla’s

Siete canciones populares españolas. I remember being deeply moved by those songs as we were playing them, and then suddenly ev-

self.’

types of people can get involved.’

it wasn’t chosen. Fewer cultures were represented in that plan, and the choice of

show off a completely different side of my-

all sorts of ways. I get such a rush and so little scary. Maybe people will actually be

beautifully maps out your life path so far, with

as music by Béla Bartók, Manuel de Falla, Rob-

ert Schumann and Tan Dun. So what music represents the Netherlands?

‘That’s actually the part I find most excit-

ing. Whenever I talk to Dutch people about Dutch folk music, they always start to laugh and say there’s no such thing. But

every culture has its own music. So I’ve asked a Dutch composer to help me track down typically Dutch folk music and to write a new work for Folk Songs Translated based on what we find.’

listening, you know?’ laughs Julia. ‘In a

If you have any ideas or suggestions about

means being an “employee” – it’s all about

from you. Feel free to get in touch with her

certain sense, being an orchestral player adapting to the group. This project lets me 2

the project, Julia would be happy to hear at julia.tom@gmail.com.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra gives first-ever concert in Singapore On 23 January, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performed in Singapore for the first time in its history. The con-

cert marked the end of its Asia tour with chief conductor Daniele Gatti and

violinist Janine Jansen which got under way with two concerts at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.

There, on 18 January, the orchestra performed works including Stravinsky’s Le

sacre du printemps, after which Janine Jansen

orchestra. The day before the concert in

Nearly all the orchestra’s corporate part-

ning in Berg’s Violin Concerto, ‘dedicated

(french horn), Miroslav Petkov (trumpet)

making up the Asia tour. We would

made a solo appearance the following eveto the memory of an angel’. On 20 January,

the orchestra performed at Beijing’s spectacular National Centre for the Perform-

ing Arts, which opened its doors ten years ago. The tour concluded on 23 January at

the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore,

Singapore, musicians Fons Verspaandonk and Bart Claessens (trombone) gave a surprise performance of Pergolesi and Gershwin on the Esplanade Boulevard right outside the concert hall. Click here to watch the video.

ners were represented at the concerts particularly like to thank our partners FrieslandCampina, ING, Unilever and KLM for their support and having made such a succesful tour possible.

followed by an elaborate reception for

the 200 plus guests in the presence of the Dutch ambassador of Singapore, many corporate partners and members of the

global partner

global partner

local partner

preferred airline

royal concertgebouw orchestra amsterdam asia tour 2017

The Alma Quartet is awarded the Prix de Salon.

Prix de Salon winners present debut album Made up of members of the Royal

poser Erwin Schulhoff and was produced

injects fresh inspiration into great cham-

Quartet released its debut CD, entitled

the quartet won in 2014. The Prix de Salon,

audiences to the genre as part of uncon-

Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Alma

Schulhoff Complete String Quartets, at the end of 2016.

The

recording

features

the

complete

string quartet output of the Czech com-

with the aid of the Prix de Salon, which which includes a cash prize of €7,500, is awarded by De Salon to a member of the

orchestra under the age of forty for a unique plan showcasing his or her personal

musical development. The Alma Quartet 3

ber music repertoire and exposes new

ventional collaborations. The quartet has

so far performed at the Concertgebouw,

Podium Witteman, the Classical Music Rave, Musicians Without Borders and on the RCO Opening Night 2016.

Ensemble space at RCO House.

New music studio at RCO House.

RCO House the orchestra’s very own house The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is

too, will be working from this location.

Gabriël Metsustraat 16, RCO House is

into the building on 3 November 2018, the

getting its very own house. Located at

The orchestra hopes to be able to move

of a modern, leading orchestra operating worldwide.’

celebration of its 130th anniversary.

HELP US BUILD RCO HOUSE

With the purchase of the property on

Managing Director Jan Raes says, ‘RCO

construction will be possible only with

a long-cherished dream a reality – creat-

dream long cherished by the Royal Con-

just a stone’s throw from the Concertge-

bouw, with a view on to Museumplein.

23 August 2016, the orchestra has made

ing its very own space with practice areas for its players, an ensemble space, educational facilities and more. RCO House offers all this under one roof.

After extensive restoration, renovation and construction, the property will provide not only essential rehearsal space for

musicians, but also an ensemble space

for chamber music concerts, lectures and educational activities. The orchestra staff,

House represents the fulfilment of a certgebouw Orchestra. It is a building where our musicians can prepare in peace and quiet for the many concerts they give

in and outside the Netherlands and where

The planned restoration, renovation and the support of private donors, funds and corporate partners. The RCO has launched a fundraising campaign and is very

excited about the positive response and the pledges it has received thus far.

we can achieve our goals involving educa-

Are you interested in supporting this

players and staff alike. Furthermore, RCO

If so, please contact Anne Christin Erbe

tion and chamber music. It is a haven for House will help us raise our profile in the

city and at Museumplein in particular.

The multifunctional features of the prop-

erty will meet the demands made today 4

project?

or Barbara Ruding at a.c.erbe@concertgebouworkest.nl or b.ruding@concertgebouworkest.nl. You can also reach them by phone on +31 (0)20 305 10 10.

RCO visits the USA with performances in New York and Washington

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Glanert’s Theatrum bestiarum, all under the

vember of last year: one at the Kennedy

These two wonderful concerts were atten-

made two appearances in the US in NoCenter in Washington DC on 29 Novem-

ber and one at New York’s Carnegie Hall on 30 November.

The programme featured Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and RCO house composer Detlev

direction of conductor Semyon Bychkov.

Hall on 16 and 17 January 2018 and on the West Coast in February 2019.

ded by over 250 guests of various corporate

During the tour, trombonists Bart Claes-

Unilever, Accenture, Arcadis, Loyens &

pers gave a spectacular performance at

king forward to our next US performan-

duced by the Dutch Ambassador Henne

partners of the orchestra, including ING,

Loeff, PwC and Stibbe. We are already loo-

ces, with concerts at New York’s Carnegie

sens, Nico Schippers and Martin Schip-

Washington DC’s Union Station, introSchuwer. Click here to view the video.

RCO MEETS EUROPE: A unification OF VOICES IN EUROPE Europe is a unique mosaic of cultures.

Turin, Athens, Bratislava and London.

birthplace of polyphony, a rich inter-

ESSAYS

of a wealth of musical styles. Of the

asked five European writers to define the

Some 1,200 years ago, it was also the

play of different voices and the basis

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has

role music plays, Jan Raes, Managing

meaning of music in their lives using

Director of the Royal Concertgebouw

Orchestra (RCO), says, ‘Where crises today are undermining Europe’s selfimage, music can provide a counterbalance. It can help people communi-

cate thoughts, ideas and feelings. The shared emotional experience of music

the theme of RCO meets Europe as a point of departure. The writers are An De Bisschop,

Amparo Serrano de Haro, Dave Sinardet, Erna

Hennicot-Schoepges

and

Lasha

Bugadze. You can read their creative contributions here.

can bring people together.’

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

Indeed, it was in this spirit that the or-

orchestra’s global partners Unilever and

chestra launched the project RCO meets Europe – Side by Side, a tour of all twenty-eight

member states of the European Union throughout which the orchestra will be performing the opening work on each pro-

gramme alongside members of a national or local youth orchestra. The first concert

was given in Dublin on 27 August 2016, fol-

lowed by performances in various cities including Ljubljana, Brussels, Luxembourg,

Side by Side is made possible in part by the ING. They are giving the young people in

the youth orchestras the opportunity to take a seat in the hall to enjoy the rest

of the concert programme after performing the opening work. In this way, they are supporting these special talents and contributing to their development. In ad-

dition to our global partners, this unique project is being supported by private donors in nearly every country.

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Harmonica player Hermine Deurloo at the De Salon Crossover Evening on 1 February 2017.

A Crossover-evening like no other ‘Exciting and spellbinding’ was how

Pohádka (Fairy Tale) for cello and piano and

it was an amazing evening. It was great to

formance by orchestral musicians with

Harmonica, Strings and Piano. Speaking

members of the orchestra made music in

audience members described the perharmonica player Hermine Deurloo and pianist Robert Kulek on the De Salon Crossover Night on 2 February. Together

they presented a varied programme paying tribute to film music in which the

Vaughan Williams’s Romance in D-flat for

about the works programmed, Hermine

Deurloo mentioned that the latter was one of only four classical works ever written for the harmonica.

harmonica takes centre stage. The audi-

ANOTHER WAY OF MAKING MUSIC

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s busi-

Schindler’s List offstage. One De Salon mem-

ence included various members of the

The musicians played the theme to

ness circle, their guests and members of

ber said, ‘The music from the back was

the young professionals programme The Sound of Leadership.

A SPECIAL PROGRAMME

beautiful and actually increased the intensity of the emotion,’ going on to say

that ‘the light movements during the con-

experience such a performance in which a different way.’

Clearly, it wasn’t just the audience who

enjoyed themselves – the musicians, too, were delighted in this special collaborative undertaking. ‘It’s nice to see how much fun the musicians had together.

They were also clearly enjoying the con-

cert themselves,’ said one young woman

who had been invited by a participant of The Sound of Leadership programme.

RECEPTION

cert fitted perfectly’.

After the concert, drinks and bites were

classics from films including Once Upon a

Another De Salon member was impressed

had plenty of time to mix and mingle, dis-

light and Schindler’s List, alternating with

music, describing the experience as ‘a very

The programme featured a number of Time in the West, Midnight Cowboy, Turkish Declassical works such as Leoš Janáček’s

by this new and different way of making nice concert – the music was fantastic, and 6

served to the guests and musicians, who cussing and reflecting on this successful evening featuring special musical crossovers.

THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA IN 2017/18: PEACE, RESPECT AND CREATIVITY An evening especially for young professionals The orchestra gave its first Essentials

concerts of the season on 10 Decem-

New season to feature Daniele Gatti and three former chief conductors In its 2017–18 season, the Royal Concer-

During this particularly in current affairs

which peace, respect and creativity are

Gatti is prominently at the orchestra’s

tgebouw Orchestra looks to a future in shared by all. A hope reflected in its concert series War and Peace, featuring

music from three historical periods characterised by war and political unrest,

but also in the continuation of RCO meets Europe.

rooted season, chief conductor Daniele helm. His predecessors Bernard Haitink,

Riccardo Chailly and Mariss Jansons are also making guest appearances.

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is pleased to announce that its artist in resi-

dence next season is none other than the

ber and 4 February. Developed in col-

Indeed, developments on the world stage

partners ING and Unilever, the series

twenty-eight EU member states and its

The season gets off to a festive, stylish

Side by Side component, which sees the or-

the illustrious soprano Diana Damrau will

laboration with the orchestra’s global is designed for young professionals who until now may have had little or

no opportunity to come and hear the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for themselves.

Each evening is an introduction to a musical

masterpiece

that

have since made the orchestra’s tour of all message all the more urgent. The unique

chestra performing the opening work in each EU country together with a youth or-

chestra, has garnered great international acclaim.

everyone

should hear at least once in his or her lifetime. Another special feature of

these concerts is the introduction presented by Thomas Vanderveken. These so-called TOMTalks are now an integral part of the Essentials series.

After each of these concerts, the Cor-

porate Partnerships team organises the RCO Lounge in the Koorzaal of the Concertgebouw, an exclusive (but in-

formal) reception for young professionals associated with the orchestra’s cor-

porate partners. The RCO Lounge gives guests a chance to mix and mingle over drinks with other young professionals

and the musicians of the orchestra.

The open bar features special beers produced by Affligem, and tasty bites are also served.

The next Essentials concert, followed

by RCO Lounge, is being given on Saturday, 25 March.

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Dutch star soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek.

start with RCO Opening Night, on which be making her first appearance with the

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra singing popular arias by Mozart under the direction of Thomas Hengelbrock.

upComing international concerts Frankfurt, Germany

Friday, 31 March 2017

Brussels, Belgium

Saturday, 1 April 2017

Paris, France

Thursday, 4 May 2017

London (BBC Proms), United Kingdom

Friday, 1 September 2017

London (BBC Proms), United Kingdom

Saturday, 2 September 2017

Lucerne, Switzerland

Monday, 4 September 2017

Lucerne, Switzerland

Tuesday, 5 September 2017

Berlin, Germany

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

Essen, Germany

Friday, 15 September 2017

Bucharest, Romania

Saturday, 23 September 2017

Bucharest, Romania

Sunday, 24 September 2017

Hamburg, Germany Cologne, Germany

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Brussels, Belgium

Thursday, 12 October 2017 Saturday, 14 October 2017

Frankfurt, Germany

Saturday, 11 November 2017

Seoul, Korea

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Seoul, Korea

Thursday, 16 November 2017

Kyoto, Japan

Saturday, 18 November 2017 Sunday, 19 November 2017

Tokyo, Japan

Monday, 20 November 2017

Tokyo, Japan

Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Nagasaki, Japan Osaka, Japan

25 March 2017

ESSENTIALS AND RCO LOUNGE

Wednesday, 11 October 2017

Budapest, Hungary

Kawasaki, Japan

upComing events

14 September 2017

RCO OPENING NIGHT 7 November 2017

PRIX DE SALON

Thursday, 23 November 2017 Friday, 24 November 2017

New York, USA

Wednesday, 17 January 2018

New York, USA

Thursday, 18 January 2018

Acknowledgements RCO Corporate is a publication of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for its corporate contacts both in and outside the Netherlands.

Photos Anne Dokter, Mladen Pikulic, Renske Vrolijk Text and editing Marjolein Joosen, Charlie dos Reis Borges Rodrigues Translation Josh Dillon Design Atelier Rene Knip & Rens Martens Contact Jan Meddens Head of Corporate Partnerships tel +31 (0)20 305 10 10 j.meddens@concertgebouworkest.nl Charlie dos Reis Borges Rodrigues Account Manager Corporate Partnerships tel +31 (0)20 305 10 10 c.reisborges@concertgebouworkest.nl 8