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