Munich Chamber Orchestra

Münchener Kammerorchester
Chamber orchestra
Chamber orchestra

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

The Munich Chamber Orchestra (Münchener Kammerorchester, or MKO) is a German chamber orchestra based in Munich. Its primary concert venue is the Prinzregententheater, Munich. The MKO also gives concerts in Munich at such venues as the Pinakothek der Moderne and the Schwere Reiter, and at the Muffathalle during the Munich Biennalle. The regular core of the MKO is the string section, currently numbering 26 players (15 violinists, four viola players, five cellists and two double bass players). Woodwind, brass and percussion players are employed when needed.

Christoph Stepp founded the MKO in 1950. Hans Stadlmair was the artistic director from 1956 to 1995, and conducted the orchestra in over 4000 concerts, including international tours and collaborations with the Bayerischer Rundfunk. From 1995 to 2006, Christoph Poppen was principal conductor of the MKO. Since 2006, Alexander Liebreich has been the principal conductor and artistic director. He is scheduled to conclude his MKO tenure after the 2015-2016 season. In September 2015, the orchestra announced the appointment of Clemens Schuldt as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2016-2017 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.[1]

The MKO has regularly commissioned music from such contemporary composers 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. The MKO 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.[2] In 2010 the orchestra premiered Peter Ruzicka’s TRANS.[3]

The MKO 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.

Selected recordings

Principal conductors

References

  1. ↑ "Clemens Schuldt übernimmt Münchner Kammerorchester". Musik Heute. 2015-09-21. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  2. ↑ Markus Bruderreck (2006). "Prometheus und die Amok laufende Drehorgel" (in German). Online Musik Magazin.
  3. ↑ "Munich Chamber Orchestra premieres Peter Ruzicka’s “TRANS”". Sikorski. 2010.
  4. ↑ Andrew Clements (2006-06-16). "Scelsi: Ohoi; Ave Maria; Anagamin; Ygghur; Natura Renovatur; Alleluja, Uitti/ Munich Chamber O/ Poppen". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-09-22.

External links

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