Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra
The Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra (Concertgebouw Kamerorkest) was founded in 1987 and consists of members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Before that time it was called the Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra (Amsterdams Kamerorkest). The ensemble made numerous recordings between 1957 and 1987, conducted by the likes of André Rieu and Anton van der Horst, and it took part in significant national events such as the coronation of Queen Beatrix on 30 April 1980 and the state visit of US President George Bush in 1989. The Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra also made a name for itself internationally: recent performances include concerts in Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Finland, Portugal and Japan. In addition CD recordings are made regularly for several labels. The recording released in 1999 of Mahler’s arrangements of string quartets by Schubert (“Death and the Maiden”) and Beethoven (Op. 95) earned BBC Music Magazine’s highest accolade (five stars) for artistic direction and recording quality. Among the soloists to have performed with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra are Maria João Pires, Friedrich Gulda, Eliane Rodrigues, Lynn Harrel, Jaap van Zweden, Isabelle van Keulen, Janine Jansen, Rudolf Koelman, Quirine Viersen, Jacob Slagter and Vesko Eschkenazy. Since 1995 the ensemble’s permanent conductor has been the Italian Marco Boni.