Wed, Sep 3, 2025
On Thursday 21 August, we left for Salzburg for the kickoff of our European summer tour. The next day, we gave a concert in Cologne, and on Saturday, we continued on to Londonfor two performances in the legendary Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms.
Companions at the BBC Proms
For the first time, the Companions also came along, to celebrate the fifth year since this group was founded. Companions, donors aged 30 to 45, are contributing to the development of young talent within the orchestra.
The weekend’s high point was Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and Berio’s Rendering at Saturday night’s Proms concert. In addition, Companions Sandra Hoeboer and Victoria van Tets had come up with a good mix of elements in a programme for the 23 participants.
Varied programme
The group began Friday evening with a welcome dinner in Polish restaurant Ognisko. Saturday afternoon was taken up with a visit to the Royal College of Music Museum, guided by our contrabassist Felix Lashmar. Tuba player Perry Hoogendijk gave a talk introducing the concert repertoire beforehand in the Royal Albert Hall’s Bar 1871. On Sunday, they rounded off the weekend with a traditional Sunday roast.
Donors on the road
Other donors were in London as well, including guests of various corporate partners and donors from the Dutch Masters Foundation. After the pre-dinner in the Royal Albert Hall, the latter donors enjoyed a talk by our viola player Michael Gieler about the evening’s music.
Both Proms concerts were attended by guests of several corporate partners. This week, donors are joining the tour again: during the annual ‘Masterreis’ trip, Masters of the Concertgebouw Orchestra attended concerts in Berlin, Lucerne and Vienna.
