Program

G.F. Handel
Concerto Grosso in F Major Op.6 Nr.2 HWV 320
J.S. Bach
Concerto for 2 violins in D minor BWV 1043
A. Vivaldi
Concerto for strings and basso continuo in A Major RV 158
P. Locatelli
Concerto for 4 solo violins and strings in F Major op. 4 Nr. 12

G.F. Handel
Concerto for Organ & strings, F-Dur HWV 292 op.4-4
F. Geminiani
"La Follia“, Concerto grosso in D minor Nr. 12 after Corelli
A. Vivaldi
Concerto for 4 violins and orchestra in B minor RV 580, op. 3 Nr. 10

(program subject to change)

Mayumi Hirasaki, violin
Jésus Merino Ruiz, violin
Shunske Sato, violin
Evgenii Sviridov, violin
Concerto Köln

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Passionate performance style and an insatiable appetite for venturing into uncharted territory are the trademarks of Concerto Köln. For over 30 years, the orchestra with the distinctive sound has ranked among the leading historically-informed performance practice ensembles. Maintaining deep roots in Cologne's own musical scene while making regular guest appearances in the great music capitals around the world and at renowned festivals, Concerto Köln is synonymous with outstanding interpretations of early music. Even though the focus remains on early music, the 2018/19 season will see the breadth of repertoire extend into the 19th century. Already launched in 2017, the musical-scientific project, “Wagner Readings” has caused quite a stir in the international music scene. The project involves examining Wagner's entire “Ring of the Nibelung” from an early music movement perspective and is the first attempt of its kind. In parallel and in addition to its focus on the baroque, the orchestra is dedicating two concert programs in the new season to works of the 19th century.
Concerto Köln turns out gripping interpretations of standard repertoire as well, making familiar works sound as if they had never been heard before. Just recently, the album “Carl Heinrich Graun” with Julia Lezhneva (Decca) was the recipient of the newly-launched award, “Opus Klassik”. With “La Venezia di Anna Maria” together with the baroque violinist, Midori Seiler, Concerto Köln landed in the top ten of the German classical music charts in the early summer of 2018 and stayed there for several months. Since 2008, Concerto Köln maintains close ties with the label, Berlin Classics, but collaborates frequently with other labels as well. By now, the ensemble is able to boast a discography of over 75 recordings, the majority of which are distinguished with awards such as the ECHO Klassik, the Opus Klassik, the Grammy Award, the German Record Critics Award, the MIDEM Classic Award, the Choc du Monde de la Musique, the Diapason d’Année and the Diapason d’Or. Particularly noteworthy are the recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos as well as the brilliant, recently-recorded Four Seasons with Shunske Sato (both recordings under Berlin Classics). The latter was realized through a close collaboration with the high end specialists, MBL: In the quest to replicate a live experience, the concert was recorded without cuts and in the highest audio quality. A new album with MBL is planned for the 2018/19 season.
As a cultural ambassador of the European Union (2012), the orchestra acts as a musical figurehead for Cologne and its province, North Rhine-Westphalia. To help in the realization of its ideas, the ensemble is able to rely on the support of numerous partners: The Ministry of Science and Culture of the Province of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Kunststiftung NRW and the Goethe Institute help to support the ensemble in e.g. its research and realization of musical projects. The RheinEnergie Foundation for Culture and the Foundations of the Kreissparkasse Köln play significant supporting roles in the extensive and unique musical education project, “Die Hörpiraten”. TÜV Rheinland aids in supporting the concert series, AfterWorkClassix, in which Concerto Köln presents audiences with new programs of rediscovered works. In addition, a close partnership with the High End Audio specialists, MBL, was established in 2009, enabling the orchestra to intensively examine the sound and playback of its recordings.