Sat, Nov 26, 2022
Queen Máxima has been the patroness of the Concertgebouw Orchestra since 2005, when she followed in the footsteps of Prince Claus, who had passed away three years earlier. Since then, she has been a frequent guest of the orchestra, both in the audience and behind the scenes. Read more about the involvement of our patroness.
Opening Night 2024
In 2024, Queen Máxima attended our Opening Night at the Nelson Mandela Park in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Before the concert, she spoke with members of the Leerorkest, former participants of Concertgebouworkest Young, and several orchestra musicians.
Behind the scenes
Every so often the Queen pays a visit to the orchestra. We love to give her an opportunity to have a look behind the scenes and get close to the music and the musicians.
On 2 June 2021, Queen Máxima paid a working visit to the orchestra. The reason was an introduction to both the new board and the new building on Gabriël Metsustraat, where the orchestra has been housed since January 2019. She visited the offices and rehearsal studios, attended a video recording of a string quartet in the Amsterdam Hall, and spoke with staff members and musicians.
The Queen was brought up to speed about the Academy of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the European youth orchestra Young and other educational activities. Music education is a topic that is very dear to the Queen:
Everyone deserves the chance to discover how beautiful it is to enjoy music and to play music together. You can’t start too young. (...). To have a top-level ensemble such as the Concertgebouw Orchestra contributing to this investment in the youngest generation is and remains vitally important.
Amongst the musicians
I treasure the memory of an official visit in April 2018. During an Orchestra rehearsal I was allowed to sit in between the Orchestra members. It was such an enchanting experience to be surrounded by the music and to hear the different instruments playing together in a whole new way.
For better or for worse
In June 2020, during the corona pandemic, the King and Queen visited the Orchestra while it was recording a concert stream. From a side balcony they could see how the musicians played with conductor Ton Koopman, all keeping a distance of more than 1.5 meters. The royal couple paid this visit to show their interest and support.
The Orchestra as ambassador
The Concertgebouw Orchestra regularly plays a part in foreign state visits.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a fantastic ambassador for the Netherlands. During my visits abroad, it often happens that people spontaneously tell me how much they admire the Orchestra and about the memorable concerts they have attended. On many different occasions I have experienced the magic of the orchestra myself, both in front of and behind the scenes.
* From a contribution by Her Majesty Queen Máxima in L'art pour l'autre, Jan Raes over 11 jaar Concertgebouworkest (Jan Raes about 11 years with the Concertgebouw Orchestra) (December 2019).