Munich Chamber Orchestra

Münchener Kammerorchester
Chamber orchestra
Chamber orchestra

The orchestra in concert at the Pinakothek der Moderne, 2008
Short name MKO
Founded 1950 by Christoph Stepp
Location Munich, Germany
Principal conductor
Website www.m-k-o.de

The Munich Chamber Orchestra (Münchener Kammerorchester) is a professional chamber orchestra in Munich, Germany, known for programming contemporary music along with the classical repertory.

History

The Münchener Kammerorchester (MKO) was founded in 1950 by Christoph Stepp. Hans Stadlmair was the artistic director from 1956 to 1995. He conducted the orchestra in more than 4000 concerts, also on international tours and in collaboration with the Bayerischer Rundfunk. From 1995 to 2006, Christoph Poppen conducted the ensemble. Since 2006, Alexander Liebreich has been the principal conductor and artistic director. The orchestra is located at the Prinzregententheater.[1] The string orchestra's current members are 15 violinists, four viola players, five cellists and two double bass players.[2]

Program

The repertory of the Münchener Kammerorchester is based on classical works, expanded by contemporary music including premieres. Some concerts are held without a conductor; two principal violinists share that function. The orchestra is interested in collaborating with specialists for historically informed performances and with guest conductors, such as Heinz Holliger, Dennis Russell Davies, Anu Tali and Reinhard Goebel. Soloists have included Kim Kashkashian, Sabine Meyer, Christian Gerhaher, Juliane Banse, Viktoria Mullova, Heinrich Schiff and Lars Vogt.[1] Each year, a theme connects the concerts at the Prinzregententheater. In the 2010/11 season, it is "Music and Architecture".[3] In 2003, the orchestra established a new concert series in the Pinakothek der Moderne, entitled "Nachtmusik der Moderne", concentrating on the works of one contemporary composer.[4] In 2011 it was dedicated to Karl Amadeus Hartmann.[5]

Premieres

The Münchener Kammerorchester has regularly commissioned music of composers such as Erkki-Sven Tüür, Martin Jaggi, Thomas Larcher, Iannis Xenakis and Wolfgang Rihm, among others. In 1971 the orchestra premiered Wilhelm Killmayer's fin al punto, composed for its 20th anniversary.[6] The Münchener Kammerorchester and the Philharmonie Essen commissioned Jörg Widmann's ad absurdum, "Konzertstück für Trompete in B und kleines Orchester" (concert piece for trumpet and small orchestra),which premiered on 18 January 2006 with soloist Sergei Nakariakov.[7] In 2010 the orchestra premiered Peter Ruzicka’s TRANS.[8]

Selected recordings

The Münchener Kammerorchester has mainly recorded with the Edition of Contemporary Music (ECM). In 2009 they recorded Madhares, works of Thomas Larcher for piano and orchestra with Till Fellner, for viola and chamber orchestra with Kim Kashkashian, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.[9]

Awards

The Münchener Kammerorchester was awarded the Musikpreis der Landeshauptstadt München in 2000, the prize for the best concert programming from the Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband (German association of music publishers) for the seasons 2001/02 and 2005/06, the Cannes Classical Award in 2002, the prize of the Christoph und Stephan Kaske Foundation in 2002 with Christoph Poppen, the Ernst von Siemens Förderpreis in 2001 to 2003. In 2008, the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste awarded the prize Neues Hören (New Listening) of the foundation Neue Musik im Dialog (New Music Dialogue) for the successful delivery of contemporary music to the chamber orchestra.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Münchener Kammerorchester" (in German). Bachwoche Ansbach. 2011.
  2. ↑ "Members of the orchestra" (in German). Münchener Kammerorchester.
  3. ↑ "Musik und Architektur – Gesprächsreihe des Münchener Kammerorchesters" (in German). klassikinfo.de. 2010.
  4. ↑ Jörg Lichtinger (21 January 2011). "Nachtmusik der Moderne 09/10: Neue Musik mit dem Münchener Kammerorchester". Neue Musikzeitung (in German).
  5. ↑ "Komponistenportrait Karl Amadeus Hartmann in München" (in German). Schott. 21 January 2011.
  6. ↑ fin al punto / Poèmes symphoniques Schott
  7. ↑ Markus Bruderreck (2006). "Prometheus und die Amok laufende Drehorgel" (in German). Online Musik Magazin.
  8. ↑ "Munich Chamber Orchestra premieres Peter Ruzicka’s “TRANS”". Sikorski. 2010.
  9. ↑ "Thomas Larcher Madhares". ECM. 2011.
  10. ↑ Tyran Grillo (2010). "Barry Guy: Folio (ECM New Series 1931)". ECM.
  11. ↑ "Joseph Haydn I-sang Yun Farewell". ECM. 2008.

External links