Limburgs Symfonie Orkest
Encyclopedia
The Limburg Symphony Orchestra (Dutch
: Limburgs Symfonie Orkest) is a Dutch orchestra
based in Maastricht
in the province of Limburg
, The Netherlands. It is one of the Netherlands’ oldest professional symphony orchestras. The Limburg Symphony Orchestra gives more than one hundred performances a season and occupies a significant place within Limburg’s cultural life. In addition to its symphonic offerings, the orchestra provides Opera Zuid with accompaniment, works with various choirs and runs an extensive education programme.
Ed Spanjaard has been the orchestra’s principal conductor since August 2001. Ed Spanjaard and the orchestra have created a name for themselves with their broad repertoire in which both famous and lesser-known works and contemporary music are given a place to shine.
The orchestra not only plays in the province of Limburg’s larger cities, it also plays the Netherlands’ and Euregion’s larger stages on a regular basis. In 2008 more than 93,000 visitors came to see the orchestra perform.
region. In 1955 the orchestra acquired its current name of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2001, the current principal conductor of the orchestra is Ed Spanjaard
, who had prior served as principal conductor from 1982 to 1988.
During the 2007-2008 season, the Limburg Symphony Orchestra celebrated nothing less than its 125th birthday. The orchestra opened its 125th season with a programme of Tchaikovsky’s music in the Amsterdam
Concertgebouw and finished the season with an incredible jubilee concert on 2 September 2008 with Queen Beatrix
in attendance.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Limburgs Symfonie Orkest) is a Dutch orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
in the province of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, The Netherlands. It is one of the Netherlands’ oldest professional symphony orchestras. The Limburg Symphony Orchestra gives more than one hundred performances a season and occupies a significant place within Limburg’s cultural life. In addition to its symphonic offerings, the orchestra provides Opera Zuid with accompaniment, works with various choirs and runs an extensive education programme.
Ed Spanjaard has been the orchestra’s principal conductor since August 2001. Ed Spanjaard and the orchestra have created a name for themselves with their broad repertoire in which both famous and lesser-known works and contemporary music are given a place to shine.
The orchestra not only plays in the province of Limburg’s larger cities, it also plays the Netherlands’ and Euregion’s larger stages on a regular basis. In 2008 more than 93,000 visitors came to see the orchestra perform.
History
The ensemble gave its first concert on 2 September 1883 as the Maastrichts Stedelijk Orkest ("Maastricht City Orchestra"), with Otto Wolf as its first conductor. The orchestra also gave concerts in the BrabantNorth Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
region. In 1955 the orchestra acquired its current name of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2001, the current principal conductor of the orchestra is Ed Spanjaard
Ed Spanjaard
Eduard Philip Spanjaard is a Dutch conductor and pianist.-Early life:Ed Spanjaard his father was psychiatrist and amateur pianist, and his mother played the flute. Spanjaard studied at the Conservatorium van de Vereniging Muzieklyceum at Amsterdam and afterwards at the Guildhall School of Music...
, who had prior served as principal conductor from 1982 to 1988.
Friends
After the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Limburg Symphony Orchestra has one of the largest Friends associations in the Netherlands, with more than 3,000 members. The orchestra hopes to grow this circle of friends to 4,000 members. The orchestra’s sponsors are also generous in their support.During the 2007-2008 season, the Limburg Symphony Orchestra celebrated nothing less than its 125th birthday. The orchestra opened its 125th season with a programme of Tchaikovsky’s music in the Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Concertgebouw and finished the season with an incredible jubilee concert on 2 September 2008 with Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
in attendance.
Principal Conductors
- Otto Wolf (1883-1915)
- Henri Hermans (1915-1947)
- Paul Hupperts (1947-1949)
- André Rieu Sr. (1949-1980) (father of André RieuAndré RieuAndré Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...
) - Ed SpanjaardEd SpanjaardEduard Philip Spanjaard is a Dutch conductor and pianist.-Early life:Ed Spanjaard his father was psychiatrist and amateur pianist, and his mother played the flute. Spanjaard studied at the Conservatorium van de Vereniging Muzieklyceum at Amsterdam and afterwards at the Guildhall School of Music...
(1982-1988) - Salvador Mas Conde (1988-1994)
- Shlomo MintzShlomo MintzShlomo Mintz is an Israeli violin virtuoso, violist and conductor. He regularly appears with orchestras and conductors on the international scene and is heard in recitals and chamber music concerts around the world.- Awards :...
(1995-1998) - Junichi HirokamiJunichi Hirokamiis a Japanese conductor.Born in Tokyo, Hirokami studied conducting, piano, musicology, and viola at the Tokyo College of Music. He won the first Kondrashin International Conducting Competition in Amsterdam in September 1984 at age 26...
(1998-2000) - Ed SpanjaardEd SpanjaardEduard Philip Spanjaard is a Dutch conductor and pianist.-Early life:Ed Spanjaard his father was psychiatrist and amateur pianist, and his mother played the flute. Spanjaard studied at the Conservatorium van de Vereniging Muzieklyceum at Amsterdam and afterwards at the Guildhall School of Music...
(2000-present)