Het Brabants Orkest (literal translation, The Brabant Orchestra) is a Dutch symphony orchestra, based in the province of North Brabant (Noord-Brabant). Its principal concert venue is the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips in Eindhoven. The orchestra also gives concerts at the Theater aan de Parade in 's-Hertogenbosch, de Concertzaal (the Concert Hall) in Tilburg, and the Chassé Theatre in Breda.
The roots of the orchestra date to 1947, with the establishment of the Stichting Vrienden van het Orkest (Friends' Orchestra Foundation) by the province of Noord-Brabant, to generate support for the formation of a full-time and full-sized symphony orchestra in the province. The full orchestra was formally established in 1949, at a size of 40 musicians, with Hein Jordans as its first chief conductor. Jordans held the chief conductorship from 1949 to 1979.
Other chief conductors have included Lucas Vis (1979-1983), André Vandernoot, and Arpad Joó. In 1994, the orchestra dismissed Joó and subsequently named Marc Soustrot its next chief conductor.[1] However, controversy arose when the orchestra had appointed Jaap van Zweden as principal guest conductor, to the point where Soustrot had threatened not to take the chief conductorship because he did not feel sufficiently consulted on the van Zweden appointment.[2] The controversy was resolved, and Soustrot served as chief conductor of the orchestra from 1996 to 2006. Since 2008, Alan Buribayev has served as chief conductor. He is scheduled to step down from this post in 2012.[3]
The orchestra also participates as accompanying ensemble in the Internationaal Vocalisten Concours, concerts of the Stichting Stabat Mater in Oirschot, "Carnaval Concerts", the Festival Cult & Tumult in Veldhoven and the "Festival Traces" in Tilburg. The orchestra also has served as the accompanying ensemble in opera productions by Opera Zuid.