Netherlands Symphony Orchestra

The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (Dutch: "Nederlands Symfonieorkest") is a Dutch symphony orchestra. The home of the orchestra is the Muziekcentrum in Enschede. The orchestra was previously known in Dutch as Orkest van het Oosten (literal translation "Orchestra of the East"), but in October 2011 changed its Dutch name to align with the English name. At the same time the Dutch abbreviation "OvhO" was replaced with "NedSym."[1]

Netherlands Symphony Orchestra performs about 75 concerts a year in Enschede, Hengelo, Zwolle and Deventer, as well as throughout the province of Overijssel and the Randstad. NedSym also serves as orchestra with the Nederlandse Reisopera for two productions a year and various provincial choirs.

History

Nederlands Symfonieorkest in 2009

The precursor ensemble to the Orkest van het Oosten was the Twents Kamerorkest (Twents Chamber Orchestra), an amateur ensemble which began performing in the 1930s under the direction of Klaas de Rook. In 1947, this orchestra changed its name to the Twents Philharmonisch Orkest (Twents Philharmonic Orchestra). In 1954, the orchestra became fully professional under the name of the Overijssels Philharmonisch Orkest (Overijssels Philharmonic Orchestra), incorporating musicians from the Twents Harpsichord Ensemble and the Twents Chamber Orchestra.

In 1983, the Overijssels Philharmonic Orchestra was merged with Opera Forum. The two orchestras were joined together as the Forum Philharmonic operating in two formations: one for accompanying the opera the other for symphonic concerts, and a few times a year both together for large scale productions. In 1994, the orchestra was seriously reduced and formed an independent ensemble under the name Orkest van het Oosten. At the same time, in 1994, the Nationale Reisopera (which in 2014 changed its name to Nederlandse Reisopera) was organised from Opera Forum, without an orchestra. The Orkest van het Oosten was contracted to accompany two Reisopera productions a year.

Conductors

Jaap van Zweden was chief conductor of the OvhO from 1996 to 2005. Since the 2006-2007 season, Jan Willem de Vriend has been chief conductor of the OvhO, with an initial contract of 3 years. Although there have been reports of controversy over his direction of the OvhO,[2] his contract with the OvhO has been extended to 2012.[3] In 2010 the "Orkest van het Oosten" was awarded with an Edison award.

In 2009 Ed Spanjaard conducted Das Rheingold,[4][5] of Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen with the Nationale Reisopera and Orkest van het Oosten in Enschede where in 2010 he will be conducting Die Walküre.

Chief conductors

References

  1. ↑ Over NedSym "Op 19 oktober 2011 is de Nederlandse naam van het Orkest van het Oosten gelijk getrokken met het Engelse "The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra" en verworden tot "Nederlands Symfonieorkest". De Engelse naam is vereenvoudigd tot "Netherlands Symphony Orchestra"."
  2. ↑ "Vragen rond Jan Willem de Vriend blijven onbeantwoord". De Twentesche Courant. 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  3. ↑ "'Positie van De Vriend wankelt niet'". De Twentesche Courant. 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  4. ↑ Roland de Beer (27 September 2009). "Rheingold klinkt als een klok". De Volkskrant. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  5. ↑ Henri Drost (28 September 2009). "Wachten op de trein naar het Walhalla". 8weekly.nl. Retrieved 28 September 2009.

External links