RCO Corporate November 2015

year 2 - number 4 - november 2015

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, managing director Jan Raes, chief-conductor designate Daniele Gatti and our Global Partners: Jan Zijderveld (president Unilever Europe; 2nd left) and Ralph Hamers (CEO of ING; far right)

Proud to be partners

Opening Night on 10 September had an added festive ambience. Shortly before, it had

been announced that ING and Unilever, our main sponsors, had decided to continue their Global Partnership with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for the next ten

years. We celebrated that on the season’s Opening Night in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Máxima. ‘We share the same values regarding outstanding quality and

innovation,’ said ING’s CEO Ralph Hamers. Unilever’s CEO Paul Polman was looking forward to ‘continuing to develop joint programmes and learning from each other’.

Opening Night was led by our future chief conductor Daniele Gatti and, after a long absence, we again performed with the star cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Sponsors and a lot of guests from the Netherlands and abroad attended the evening.

Prix de Salon for innovative ensemble The four young musicians of the GoYa Quartet won the Prix de Salon and the hearts of the audience at the Salon Eve-

ning hosted by Euronext, a Member of the Salon, on 27 October. Over ninety

entrepreneurs enjoyed the music in the unique atmosphere of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange Building. ‘The enthusiasm of the musicians was astounding.’

‘The musicians completely threw themselves into it,’ said an introducé who was attending with a Salon Member, after the

GoYa Quartet’s performance of Antonin Dvořák’s American String Quartet. ‘The

concert had a modern feel due to the music and the young musicians: the way they looked at each other and really played together. It was also clear that they are remarkable personalities.’

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‘The musicians fired each other up and enjoyed the music themselves.’

Euronext Euronext Amsterdam, which hosted the occasion, allowed the Salon Members

and partners to take a peek at the historic stock exchange building. According

to CEO Maurice van Tilburg who opened the evening in style, music has resounded here since 1622. However, the drums

of yesteryear were now replaced by a duet of two violins on the trading floor. Behind

the violinists, the traders’ jackets were

still draped over the chairs. From above, it was clear to those attending that the acoustics were still outstanding. That was also the case in the Mercurius Hall, where

a lively String Trio by Beethoven was performed.

Cool ‘The musicians’ enthusiasm was infectious,’ added a Salon Member and his guest.

‘The musicians nodded to each other:

“That went well”, and so fired each other up. They enjoyed the music themselves. It was really dynamic. Great that they try to

appeal to a young audience. That piece by Dvořák was cool. You could hear the Ame-

rican influences: the hope, the bright future.’

Muse The violinists Sylvia Huang and Mirelys Morgan Verdecia, violist Martina Forni

and cellist Honorine Schaeffer made an impression on all those present: their un-

wavering ensemble playing, even without

Champions League

quality of Sylvia Huang’s playing and the

Champions League of orchestras,’ said

a conductor, the hushed and intimate

‘The Concertgebouw Orchestra is in the

musicality and personality of Honorine

Chiel Smit, a partner at EY and host of the

Schaeffer. They have been awarded the Prix de Salon for an innovate idea. ‘We’re going to make a DVD of three concerts fea-

turing the Brahms and Schumann string

quartets,’ Martina Forni explained. ‘Members of the audience will find extracts from the letters exchanged between the

two of them and with their shared muse

Clara Schumann lying on their seats. This

previous Salon Evening. ‘I also have a half subscription for the Thursday evening

concert, which is large-scale sympho-

nies.’ That’s a different atmosphere. In an evening like this there is more interplay

between the musicians themselves; with chamber music you hear everything. And that interaction is exciting.’

will let them experience the evening as

One of the guests had actually been to very

wonderful images among many audience

certainly not the last,’ she said afterwards.

one of the three protagonists.’ This evoked members.

few classical music concerts. ‘And this was ‘It was magical.’

The Far East beckons The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is touring Taiwan and Japan. Three of the party talk about their preparations: first violin Junko Naito, haulier Wencke Klunder of Koninklijke De Gruijter, and Jan Binnendijk of ATPI. It goes without saying that we flew KLM, our official carrier.

Playing for family and friends Every summer she returns to her ho-

performance. It depends on the edition,

November she is also going for no fewer

lopment. You can discover new details in

meland Japan for her holidays, but in than six concerts with the Royal Concertgebouw

Orchestra.

Junko

trying ‘not to be too excited’.

Naito

is

‘It started in May, just after the ticket sales opened in Japan. I received a lot of

the conductor, and also your own devemusic you think you know so well.’ The

orchestra will also perform the relatively less well-known Second Piano Concerto of

Tchaikovsky with the Chinese pianist Yuja Wang.

emails from friends who announced that

Popular

it does not increase the pressure, it gives

involve another reunion, which Junko

they would be coming to our concerts. No,

The tour to Taiwan and Japan will also

me more energy. I want to play my best for

Naito is looking forward to: working with

them.’

When Junko Naito was young her mother,

an amateur violinist, gave her a violin so

that they could play duets together in the future. ‘She never envisaged that I would become a professional player. She will certainly be in the audience in Tokyo.’

Known and new For Junko Naito, first violinist in the orchestra since 2002, most of the pieces

on the programme in Japan are not new.

She usually starts to prepare a week be-

conductor Gustavo Gimeno again. The career of the former percussionist of the

orchestra has developed rapidly since he substituted for former chief conductor

Mariss Jansons in 2014. ‘Jansons is hugely

popular with the audience, and in Japan I only played under him. So I’m anxious

Safe and comfortable

the new sound with Gimeno. It’s not easy

Our official carrier KLM takes us

is talented and also honest. I’m sure the

flung corner of the world. And on this

to know how the Japanese will react to

to step into Jansons’ shoes. But Gimeno orchestra will respond to him. It will be fantastic.’

fore the rehearsals start. ‘Beethoven 6 and Tchaikovsky 6 are such well-known symp-

honies, but they sound different in every

global partner

global partner

official carrier

royal concertgebouw orchestra amsterdam

3

safely and comfortably to every faroccasion to the Far East. We’re proud of our Royal travel partner.

The correct timetable It seems so easy: just book a few tic-

overnight accommodation. That’s very

bouw Orchestra to Asia involves a huge

sometimes charter an entire aircraft. You

kets. But getting the Royal Concertge-

amount of organisation. Jan Binnendijk of ATPI, partner of the business circle, arranges the tickets. ‘I want the best possible deal for the orchestra.’

exacting. For European destinations we

Touch wood

chestra. ’

everything’s gone

travelling is a major expense for the or-

Requirements ‘It’s not only the orchestra itself that’s in-

tance destination. Can it be done? What

advance and the stagehands who accompa-

will it cost, approximately? And it really

gets going a whole year before the tour.

That’s when the flights are made available in the booking system. You have to take action right away, because lots of seats are

needed and airlines don’t always want to sell so many seats to a single customer.’

Solution ‘We look at which routes are possible. The

timetable has to take account of concerts, rehearsals, travel times, rest times and

contribution to it.’

look for the best possible price, because

‘It sometimes begins a year before the de-

parture date, particularly if it’s a long-dis-

made my own little

volved. The tour manager needs to travel in

ny the instruments have a different time-

table, while soloists often arrive from a different country altogether. They all receive

their own tickets. And then there are the Japanese and Korean orchestra members

who want stay on longer to visit their families. That’s sixteen people on this tour.

That’s actually not too bad. Two years ago

in New York, thirty to forty people wanted

extended tickets. I’ve been to Japan and

on European tours many times. Fantastic. They give a wonderful concert and I’ve

‘Touch wood:

according to plan up to now. Particularly since we arrange everything so far in advance. And we’ve had a

good working relationship

with the tour department

for a long time

now. And partly

because of that,

this is one of my

favourite projects.’

Art transport in top gear De Gruijter, another Member of the business cirkel of the orchestra, is just

as Royal as the Concertgebouw Orches-

tra, it is equally international and just

Wencke Klunder (right) together with the stagehands of the orchestra.

seven years older. But the quality it

who always go on tour, or I myself if I go

any time. ‘Like on the tour to Bucharest

organises the transport of all the costly

call if necessary. Taiwan is new, so I’m

was decided not to ship the instruments

offers is the reason why this company instruments. ‘The important thing is the combination of speed and safety.’

along, have a single contact whom we can going along as well.’

Details

‘Before the tour to Taiwan and Japan

‘In addition, I obviously have a list of re-

2013,’ says Wencke Klunder. ‘Whether

tailed. Right now I’m checking what the

I started getting emails as far back as

the timetable was possible and what it

would cost. The first thing I do is select a local partner. In Japan, where the orchestra has already performed a lot, we have partners anyway but we’d never or-

ganised transport of the orchestra to Taiwan. De Gruijter has a global network of carriers. I see to it that the stagehands

quirements, which is specific and delorries look like inside. Is the floor smooth

earlier this year. At the last minute it by truck but by plane.

You then have to operate quickly: this is art transport in top gear. There again we

drew on our network. The instruments reached the musicians safely and on time.’

so that the trunks can be loaded and un-

In the hall

details like that. You try to exclude all the

Kong. I sat in the hall: what unity, a fan-

loaded without a hitch? It all depends on

‘The first time I went along was to Hong

risks.’

tastic experience! And when you’re sit-

Unexpected And even then, anything can happen at

ting there, you look at the instruments:

they had been in my hands that very afternoon.’

concerts Schedule 4-13 November Taipei, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nagoya, Kanagawa, Tokyo Gustavo Gimeno conductor Yuja Wang piano Programmes: see www. concertgebouworkest.nl/concerten 25, 26, 29 November the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Jakub Hrůša conductor Frank Peter Zimmermann violin Bedrich Smetana - The Moldau ‘Sárka’ (both from Má vlast) Dmitri Shostakovich – Second Violin Concerto Leos Janácek - Taras Bulba 18 December 6:00 p.m., the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Andris Nelsons conductor Various soloists and choirs Richard Wagner - Lohengrin (concertante performance) 25 December 2:15 p.m., Christmas Matinée in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam: Jan Willem de Vriend conductor Various soloists, Cappella Amsterdam J.S. Bach – Christmas Oratorio Gustavo Gimeno

New board members of the Donors Foundation You may already have met

them at a Salon Evening: our two new board mem-

bers Anita Nijboer of PWC and John van der Steen of BinckBank. The Donors Foundation is extremely pleased to welcome them.

colofon RCO Corporate is a publication of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for its corporate contacts both in the Netherlands and abroad. contact Jan Meddens head of corporate relations & sponsoring T +31 (0)20 305 1010 j.meddens@concertgebouworkest.nl Maurits Musch fundraising and relationship manager, including De Salon T +31 (0)20 305 1010, m.musch@concertgebouworkest.nl

global partners of the royal concertgebouw orchestra

partners of the royal concertgebouw orchestra

photos Anne Dokter, Mladen Pikulic´, Peter Tollenaar text and editing Irene Bloemink translation Ian Gaukroger design Atelier Rene Knip & Rens Martens