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Performing for music loversRight after being appointed principal double bassist, Pierre-Emmanuel de Maistre went on a tour of Taiwan and Japan with the orchestra in November. ‘Performing for audiences in Japan was really special,’ he says.

There were several reasons Pierre-Emma-nuel de Maistre so enjoyed the experience. It was his first tour as principal double bassist, a position he obtained after only two years with the orchestra. Auditions are never easy, Pierre-Emmanuel says. ‘I tried to be as relaxed as possible. Audi-tioning for people you don’t know is one

thing, but playing for colleagues in an audition setting is actually much more stressful. That’s why I really had to pre-pare myself mentally beforehand. And it paid off. I felt good on the day, and am so happy that I won it.’

insPirationalNow at the head of his section, the French-man says he was very excited to be able to play alongside Dominic Seldis. ‘That was a fantastic experience. Sitting next to him is truly inspirational. I’m really looking for-ward to working with him in the future.’

audience‘We were given such a warm welcome in Japan. You can feel that Japanese audienc-es love the orchestra. Concert goers are so respectful – of both the music and the musicians. You could feel their concen-tration: such good energy, good spirit. It makes you perform better. Plus their con-cert halls – like Muza Kawasaki, or Sunto-ry Hall in Tokyo – have incredible acous-tics. I really liked playing there.’

gustavo gimenoThis was the second time that former percussionist Gustavo Gimeno conduct-ed the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. ‘It was my first time,’ says Pierre-Emma-nuel de Maistre, ‘because I was off back in 2014 when he stood in for Mariss Jan-sons, the orchestra’s chief conductor at the time. You could see that all his former colleagues highly value him. There was a good connection between him and all of us. He’s charismatic and gave good en-ergy in all the concerts. Particularly the last concert in Suntory hall in Tokyo was a special experience, and you could feel the atmosphere.’

In East Asia

Global Friends enjoyed the very first Opening Night in the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s history, given on 10 September. Led by the orchestra’s chief conductor designate Daniele Gatti, the concert also featured star cellist Yo-Yo Ma in a performance of Dmitry Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. Her Majesty Queen Máxima, patron of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, joined in the festivities.

Pierre-Emmanuel de Maistre

Her Majesty Queen Máxima, Yo-Yo Ma, and general director Jan RaesDaniele Gatti

Thank you for holding many concerts in Japan! I went to the concert in Na-goya, it was so impressive that my tears sometimes flowed out from my both eyes. Many orchestra friends in my university days went to Muza Kawasaki and Suntory hall in Tokyo and they all said “ Amazing!!” “ So excited !! I can not sleep...” in their facebook.reaction on our Facebook page

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music without bordersInge van Verschuer is having a won-derful time in Paris, where she and her husband have lived for the last five years. Yet both are still involved with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, as Global Friends and as sponsors. Inge says, ‘Everyone should know what a fan-tastic orchestra the Netherlands has.’

‘Even as a student,’ says Inge, ‘I was an avid listener of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and always loved to see it per-form. I happen to play the piano myself. When we moved to Paris in 2010, we and a few others founded the Cercle des Amis en France, which has since merged with Global Friends. Music has no borders, and neither does the orchestra. The Royal Con-certgebouw Orchestra performs works by new composers such as Henri Dutilleux, as well as familiar ones by Bruckner. I like the combination of young and old. It’s so moving, for example, to see and hear how the more experienced members of the or-chestra are passing on the musical tradi-tion to younger generations.’

loyens & loeff‘My husband Philip van Verschuer works for Loyens & Loeff, a firm which sponsors the orchestra back in the Netherlands. Here in Paris, too, he’s continued that support by organising special evenings to which he invites his corporate clients, many of whom may have heard of the or-

chestra before but haven’t heard it live. Some of them are devoted classical music lovers, and you see them get goose pim-ples. Philip, too, is a music lover, and he firmly believes that music can take the client relationship to a level higher than that of ordinary, day-to-day business con-tact. Not to mention that the RCO, with its golden, perfectly balanced sound, is a world-class orchestra. It’s so special. It makes you feel at home even when you’re outside the Netherlands.’

red carPet‘Becoming a Global Friend is a great idea. If you love music, it doesn’t matter where you live. The Opening Night last Septem-ber, which so many Global Friends attend-ed, is a perfect example. It was such a fan-tastic evening, with the reception in the Recital Hall before the concert and the in-troductions. For the Global Friends among us, it really felt like the red carpet treat-ment! The concert, which featured cellist Yo-Yo Ma, was incredible. Global Friends also have priority when purchasing tick-ets to RCO concerts in their particular city. Sometimes, when receptions are or-ganised, you get to meet the musicians afterwards, when they’re all so relieved they’ve pulled it off again.’

young talent‘The proceeds of contributions go to things like the Academy of the orchestra,

which gives young talent the chance to gain orchestral experience. It’s nice to see that the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has such an appeal to young musicians.’

stolen moments‘We’ve seen so many first-rate concerts by the orchestra here in Paris – there was Lang Lang in 2012, the arrival of the then Princess Máxima, and the Bruckner con-cert with Mariss Jansons, who was then chief conductor, in April 2014. One of France’s severest critics wrote in Le Fi-garo that that last performance was like listening to “moments stolen from eterni-ty”. The French may not always think we Dutch northerners are that refined, but after a concert, they’re stupéfaits! I en-joy being involved. Here’s to another 125 years!’

Philip and Inge van Verschuer

Jeroen Bal, Marc Daniël van Biemen, Vilém Kijonka Nicolas Schwartz Jérôme Fruchart at a concert at the residence of the Dutch ambassador in Paris, 2014.

Exclusively for Global Friends, an en-semble made up of musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is giving a performance near Nice, in the south of France, on Saturday, 4 June. Mark your calendars now! If you would like to attend, please send an e-mail to rcofriends@concertgebouworkest.nl.

sPecial house concert in france on 4 June 2016

Many Global Friends are already very excited that the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be performing in New York once a year for three consecutive years. Starting in 2016, the entire orchestra will be performing in this cultural Mecca, and you can be there to hear it.

Seven new Academy students embarked on a year-long journey of learning and discovery in September. As such, they’ll be playing in the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, taking lessons with musi-cians of the Royal Concertgebouw Or-chestra and giving chamber music con-certs. The Academy is made possible exclusively by support from donors.

New this season are lessons in improvisa-tion, of which the Academy students have just had their first session. ‘The Academy offers musicians from all over the world the perfect opportunity to gain experience

the orchestra travels to new york

the academy welcomesseven young talents

at the very highest level,’ says Wouter Steijn, outgoing director of the donors’ founda-tion of the RCO.

Hornist Martijn Appelo (Netherlands), violinists Alexa Farré (Spain) and Lilit Poghosyan (Armenia), cellist Boris Nedi-alkov (Bulgaria), flautist Joséphine Olech (France), double bassist Benjamin Ziai (France) and violist Sofie van der Schalie (Netherlands) are all enjoying these new experiences. After all, ‘if you’re not enjoy-ing yourself, chances are you won’t learn very much,’ said Sofie van der Schalie at the beginning of the season.

The orchestra gave its last concert here in 2013.

acknowledgements

Global Friends News is published by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.Global Friends designated contact: Henriette Henny / +31 (0)20 305 1010rcofriends@concertgebouworkest.nl

Text and editing Irene Bloemink / Translation Josh DillonPhotos Anne Dokter (Opening Night, Daniele Gatti), Renske Vrolijk (Academy) Graphic design Atelier Rene Knip & Rens Martens

Music lovers are everywhere. Just for

you, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has

founded the Global Friends. Global Friends will

receive two tickets to the exclusive annual

RCO Opening Night at the Concertgebouw

in Amsterdam : 9-9-2016. You are also given

priority when booking tickets to performances

of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in

your country, you may attend rehearsals

and are eligible for discounts on

RCO Live CDs and DVDs.

Your contribution (of at least €1,500

annually) allows the orchestra to undertake

international concert tours, enables the

musicians to acquire top quality instruments

and supports the Academy, the orchestra’s

international young talent programme.

Please check our website for information

about tax deduction in your country:

www.rcofriends.com

RCO Global Friends

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