Newsletter Global Friends - April 2018

volume 4 - number 1 - april 2018

RCO House is taking shape The work on RCO House is progressing.

ding with special insulation and resonance

Metsustraat in Amsterdam, just a sto-

studios have now been built so that acous-

The unique project, located in Gabriël ne’s throw from The Concertgebouw, is starting to take shape, but a considerable amount of money is still needed to complete it.

RCO House continues to grow from a set of

panels. Mock-ups of the first rehearsal

ticians can ensure they are properly soundproofed. You can stay up to date on all the

latest developments at www.rcohouse.nl.

Obviously, the renovation and restoration

of this beautiful building designed by Ber-

lage would not be possible without the ge-

lofty plans to actual reality. Steady head-

nerous support of many stakeholders. Nu-

will accommodate both staff and the mu-

€8.7 million to this massive undertaking.

way is being made on the building, which sic-making needs of the orchestra. RCO House will also provide the orchestra’s mu-

sicians with sufficient rehearsal space and

merous donors have contributed a total of

And the RCO’s Swiss Friends confirmed to donate three grand piano’s. However, a considerable amount – €1.3 million –

even a venue for chamber concerts. The

still needs to be raised to help us meet the

The next step involves equipping the buil-

in november. Your help is very welcome!

size of the ensemble space is now visible.

€10 million finish line before the opening

SAVE THE DATE 14 september 2018 + RCO HOUSE VISIT 15 september 2018

RCO Global Friends become RCO Patrons A brand-new name and all-new donation

established four donation programmes

the festive RCO Opening Night. Addi-

tion of donors will be known as the RCO

ternationally uniform, each with its own

donated, privileges range from attend-

programmes – from now on, the Founda-

Foundation and RCO Global Friends as RCO Patrons, followed by their country

of origin. The decision to make these

changes reflects the exciting continued internationalisation of the supporters of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

To that end, the RCO Foundation has

for current and new donors which are inprivileges. The programmes range from

RCO Patrons (€1.500 a year), RCO Fellows (€5.000 a year) and RCO Masters (€10.000 a year) to RCO Trustees (€50.000 a year).

The RCO Global Friends, who will now

be known as RCO Patrons, will retain the same privileges, including two tickets to 1

tionally, and depending on the amount

ing a masterclass and spending a day

with the orchestra to a personal meeting with chief conductor Daniele Gatti and

travelling on tour with the RCO. Natu-

rally, there are tax advantages in respect of all amounts and countries. All information will become available soon.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOEL ETHAN FRIED LOOKS AHEAD Joel Ethan Fried has held the post of

all four living chief conductors this sea-

gebouw Orchestra since 1999. In that

do Chailly, Mariss Jansons and, of course,

artistic director of the Royal Concertcapacity, he oversees programming. In

this short interview, he looks ahead to the unmissable concerts the orchestra

son,’ Fried says. ‘Bernard Haitink, Riccarour current chief Daniele Gatti – they’re all there.’

is giving during the rest of the season

When pressed, Fried nevertheless men-

House.

mances, including those of Gustav Mahl-

and to the advantages afforded by RCO

Fried’s enthusiasm for the Side by Side project is virtually uncontainable. He says, ‘The Side by Side project shows just

how much the countries making up the European Union have in common. Plus it’s letting us pass on our shared cultural

heritage from one generation to the next.

Making music together is a great way to show that, since we obviously all speak the same musical languages. Together

with the musicians, we’re really looking forward to the concerts still to come this season and next.’

As always, Fried says it’s tough to single

out the ‘best’ of the remaining concerts this season. After all, he has been instrumental in programming all of them, so

he doesn’t exactly enjoy having to choose

one over another. ‘We’re very proud that we managed to book engagements with

tions several important upcoming perforer’s Symphony No. 1, conducted by Daniele Gatti, on 9 and 10 May. He continues, ‘The

orchestra is also performing Mahler’s Sym-

phony No. 9 under the direction of its honorary conductor Bernard Haitink (on 7, 8

and 10 June) and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8,

led by guest conductor Jaap van Zweden (2, 3 and 6 May). Mahler and Bruckner fans

will, of course, see these concerts as the

true high points of the season. But it’s important to remember that our orchestra works hard every single week to perform

music from all periods at the highest pos-

sible level. We hope that every concert-goer will develop his or her own preferences

for a wide range of music, from Bach to contemporary works. And for those who enjoy witnessing up close the interaction between the conductor and orchestra, I

highly recommend the conducting masterclass given by Daniele Gatti on 25 and 26 June.’ Obviously, there’s still a lot to 2

look forward to at the tail end of the 2017– 18 season.

Fried is also very much involved in the campaign to raise funds for RCO House, which should be ready by november 2018.

Of the value RCO House will add, he says, ‘The artistic excellence of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra depends on many things, one of which is the continued mu-

sical growth of each of our 120 musicians.

Just playing in an orchestra isn’t enough – musicians have to practise on their own and play a wide range of solo and chamber music repertoire. RCO House will give our

musicians and members of the Orchestra Academy the chance to rehearse individ-

ually and in groups. It will also help us continue to develop our educational ac-

tivities. Thanks to the ensemble space, which we’ll be using for things like workshops for schoolchildren, concert intro-

ductions for adults, open rehearsals and

informal concerts, we can carry out activities at RCO House which at the moment

are very challenging and, in some cases, impossible. That’s why it’s my sincere hope that we can count on contributions

from our donors to make up the remain-

ing €1.3 million needed to complete the renovation process as we’ve planned.’

Side by Side impresses donors in Madrid and Lisbon

RCO MEETS EUROPE concert schedule

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s recent visits to Madrid and Lisbon were a

15 May 2018

great success. The Side by Side donors were given the chance to experience at first hand the impact of the orchestra’s collaboration with youth orchestras.

17 May 2018

Praised in the press as memorable concerts,

for Two Pianos and Orchestra. Thanks to the sis-

bon as part of RCO meets Europe and Side

cert was a real celebration of solidarity. The

the RCO’s performances in Madrid and Lis-

by Side featured an impressive programme

including Wagner’s prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg alongside young musicians of the Madrid Youth Orchestra and the Gul-

benkian Orchestra Academy respectively, all conducted by Semyon Bychkov. Also programmed were Shostakovich’s incom-

parable Symphony No. 5 and Bruch’s Concerto

Prague, Smetana Hall Paris, Philharmonie

ters Katia and Marielle Labèque, the con-

30 June 2018

Side by Side donors present got a chance to

of Culture

experience at first hand the profound im-

pact on young European musicians which this important initiative undertaken by the orchestra has. Both projects, which will be concluding in November 2018, still

offer much to look forward to.

Sofia (Bulgaria), National Palace 1 July 2018

Sofia (Malta), National Palace of Culture

1 September 2018 Kourion (Cyprus) 6 November 2018

Wrocław (Poland), National Forum of Music

7 November 2018

Vilnius, Lithuanian National Opera 8 November 2018

Riga, Latvian National Opera 9 November 2018 Frankfurt

RCO Global Friends given royal welcome In November and February, the Royal Con-

given an elaborate reception and attended

very successful performances in Frankfurt,

cert.

certgebouw Orchestra gave a number of

Paris and Luxembourg. The concert-relat-

a rehearsal as an introduction to the con-

Talinn, Nordea Concert Hall 11 November 2018

Helsinki, Music Centre Concert Hall 12 November 2018

Gothenburg, Concert Hall 13 November 2018

Copenhagen, DR Koncerthuset 24 November 2018

Zagreb, Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall

ed activities organised on behalf of RCO

On 29 November 2017, a trio made up of obo-

The chamber music concert in Paris was

Wiedijk and bassoonist Simon Van Holen

embourg to perform the same programme

concert, featuring works by Mozart, Bee-

tion of Semyon Bychkov. In addition to a

Global Friends were greatly appreciated. also well received. There are wide-ranging

plans to organise a number of chamber

music house concerts in Paris and Frankfurt in the autumn of 2018. We will be

sending you more information about these in due course.

During the concert in Frankfurt on 11 November 2017, RCO Global Friends were

ist Alexei Ogrintchouk, clarinettist Hein gave a very well-received chamber music thoven and Ibert, at the Atelier Néerlanda-

is to fete current RCO Global Friends and to generate interest among new Friends.

On 19 February 2018, the entire Royal Con-

certgebouw Orchestra gave a spectacular concert with soloists Katia and Marielle

with the Labèque sisters under the direcguided tour of the Philharmonie and a re-

hearsal visit, the warm welcome given by ambassador Hans Maurits Schaapveld was a particularly pleasant surprise. Local RCO

Global Friends and Belgian Friends attended this special event.

Labèque at the Paris Philharmonie. Their

interpretation of Bruch’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra proved an exhilarating surprise. RCO Global Friends were treated to a rehearsal visit and reception.

Paris

The day before the Paris concert, the

orchestra was at the Philharmonie in Lux3

Luxembourg

CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA IMPRESSES IN NEW YORK Over the last few months, the Royal Concertgebouw

Orchestra

has

again

been giving first-rate performances outside the Netherlands. But in addition to

its intensive RCO meets Europe/Side by Side concerts, the orchestra certainly

isn’t neglecting the other continents of the globe. In the second half of November 2017, the orchestra, under the direc-

tion of Daniele Gatti, gave a number of successful concerts in South Korea and Japan. New York was on its January itinerary, too.

The orchestra took along two demanding programmes on its tour of South Korea

and Japan. The first featured Beethoven’s

Violin Concerto with soloist Frank Peter Zimmermann, juxtaposed with Brahms’s

Symphony No. 1, while the equally intriguing

the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was

Mahler and Bruckner tradition. The New

in C major with soloist Tatiana Vassilyeva

Carnegie Hall. And it wasn’t just the or-

which Maestro Gatti and the orchestra lav-

second consisted of Haydn’s Cello Concerto and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 featuring so-

prano Julia Kleiter. Chief conductor Daniele Gatti conducted both concerts in Seoul

and Tokyo, in addition to performances in Nagasaki, Osaka and Kyoto.

The orchestra also met with an enthu-

siastic reception in New York just over a month later. Thanks to the much-appre-

ciated support of its RCO Global Friends,

able to give no fewer than two concerts at

chestra’s Friends who enjoyed it either.

The New York Times wrote a favourable

review of the concert featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and Bruch’s Violin Concer-

to No. 1 with soloist Janine Jansen. As on

York Times praised the ‘expressive beauty’ ished on the music, as well as their ‘majestic restraint’ which made the concluding Adagio from Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony a truly unforgettable experience.

the second concert with works including

In addition to and around these concerts,

showcased both its chief conductor Dan-

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s donors.

Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9, the orchestra iele Gatti, new to New York audiences

in this capacity, and its distinguished

there was an unwavering focus on the Not only did RCO Global Friends enjoy the

rehearsal visits and extensive reception after the concert, but in September they

also enjoyed a reception and house concerts at the New York residence of Consul

General Dolph Hogewoning and at the home of the Dutch Ambassador in Wash-

ington DC, Henne Schuwer. Both also attended a reception on 18 January 2018 following the concerts given in New York.

The orchestra’s heartfelt thanks are due

to its RCO Global Friends and those who represent the orchestra in the US – Consul

General Dolph Hogewoning, John Pirova-

no, Roelfien Kuijpers and Wim Kooyker in New York, and Robbert Dijkgraaf in Princeton. All the more reason to look

forward to the private chamber music

concerts in Grand Rapids, Michigan, New York and Princeton in September 2018

and, of course, to the orchestra’s US tour taking place from 9 to 15 February 2019.

4

Young conductors looking forward to ‘terrifying’ masterclass The annual masterclass given by Danie-

bouw Orchestra in June are looking forward

stage. Reinhardt describes the challenge

Orchestra is taking place from 25 to

hopes. ‘Sharing the stage with one of the

of ensuring they secure engagements

le Gatti and the Royal Concertgebouw 28 June, an event made possible in part

by our donors. The four participants hail from Portugal, Germany, China/ New Zealand and the US, and are loo-

king forward to the exciting event with high hopes.

‘Intimidating’, ‘terrifying’ and a ‘big chal-

lenge’ – the four conductors selected to participate in the masterclass hosted by Daniele Gatti and the Royal Concertge-

to the event with a mix of nerves and high

best conductors and orchestras in the world isn’t exactly what we do every day,’ explains

the Portuguese conductor Nuno Coelho.

Nevertheless, these four conductors are

facing young, talented conductors as one

with orchestras that really matter. ‘That’s why a masterclass of this calibre is of the utmost importance,’ she says.

hardly inexperienced. Coelho has served

as assistant conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, while his colle-

agues, the American Roderick Cox, the Chi-

nese/New Zealander Tianyi Lu and the German Ruth Reinhardt already have a proven

track record on the international concert

CALENDAR OF RCO GLOBAL FRIENDS ACTIVITIES 4 May 2018 Philharmonie, Essen

15 September 2018

12 February 2019

Daniele Gatti conductor

Orchestra Hall, Chicago

Jaap van Zweden conductor

RCO House visit

Bruckner – Symphony No. 8

Save the date

4 September 2018 Philharmonie, Berlin

25 November 2018

Annett Fritsch soprano

Philippe Herreweghe conductor

13 February 2019

Alban Berg – Altenberg Lieder

Franz Schubert – Deutsche Tänze

Daniele Gatti conductor

Robert Schumann – Symphony No. 2

Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5

Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4 Richard Strauss – Ein Heldenleben

Daniele Gatti conductor

Philharmonie, Luxembourg

Anton Webern – Fünf Sätze

Isabelle Faust violin

Kennedy Center, Washington DC

Anton Bruckner – Symphony No. 3

Ludwig van Beethoven – Violin Concerto

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano

5 September 2018 Kultur- und

Richard Strauss – Ein Heldenleben

Kongresszentrum, Luzern

8 December 2018 BOZAR, Brussels

Annett Fritsch soprano

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano

Daniele Gatti conductor

von Nürnberg

Antonin Dvorák – Piano Concerto

Orchestra of the USA

Daniele Gatti conductor

Daniel Harding conductor

14 February 2019 Carnegie Hall, New York

Richard Wagner – Die Meistersinger

Elena Zhidkova mezzo-soprano

Side by Side with National Youth

Alban Berg – Altenberg Lieder

Béla Bartók – Bluebeard’s Castle

Carl Maria von Weber – Ouverture to Oberon

Anton bruckner – Symphony No. 3

11 January 2019 BOZAR, Brussels

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 40, K 550

6 September 2018 Kultur- und Kon-

Herbert Blomstedt conductor

Daniele Gatti conductor

(‘Scottish’)

15 February 2019 Carnegie Hall, New York

J.S. Bach – Fuga (Ricercata) a 6 voci

from Sången

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano

Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4

gresszentrum, Luzern

Felix Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3

Anton Webern – Langzamer Satz

Wilhelm Stenhammar – Intermezzo

Daniele Gatti conductor

Gustav Mahler – Symphony No.7

Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 1

Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5

14 September 2018

US tour

Concertgebouw, Amsterdam

9 February 2019, Artis-Naples, Naples

Evgeny Kissin piano

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart –

Romain’

Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4

RCO Opening Night

To reserve your tickets, please

Daniele Gatti conductor

Daniele Gatti conductor

Hector Berlioz – Ouverture ‘Le Carnaval

Symphony No. 40, K 550

Franz Liszt – Pianoconcerto No. 1

Gioachino Rossini – Ouverture from ‘Il barbiere di Siviglia’

Felix Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 4 ‘Italiaanse’

Giuseppe Verdi – Balletmusic from ‘Otello’

Richard Strauss – Ein Heldenleben

10 February 2019 Artis-Naples, Naples Daniele Gatti conductor

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano

Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5 Richard Strauss – Ein Heldenleben

5

contact Henriette Henny at

h.henny@concertgebouworkest.nl.

Acknowledgements Global Friends News is published by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

RCO Global Friends designated contact: Henriette Henny / +31 (0)20 305 1010 rcofriends@concertgebouworkest.nl

Text and editing Paul Janssen, Translation Josh Dillon Photos p.1 left Renske Vrolijk, right Team V Architectuur p.2 Renske Vrolijk, p.3 top Peter Tollenaar, left Henriette Henny, right Anne Christin Erbe, p.4 top Henriette Henny; under Peter Tollenaar, p.5 Mladen Pikulic Graphic design Atelier Rene Knip & Rens Martens