Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra
The Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra (Sinfonie Orchester Biel Solothurn / Orchestre Symphonique Bienne Soleure) was founded in 1969 and has since gained an important place within the Swiss music scene. It is based in the Swiss cities of Biel-Bienne and Solothurn. Heavily influenced by Swiss conductors Armin Jordan and Jost Meier in its beginnings, the orchestra has been directed by Kaspar Zehnder since the 2012/2013 season.
Biography
Central to the ensemble’s artistic work are the symphonic concerts in Biel and Solothurn. While never neglecting the important works of the classical repertory, a special emphasis is placed on works from the 20th century and contemporary music; numerous orchestral compositions and operas have seen their first performance by this orchestra.
Next to the symphonic concerts and its participation in the operatic productions of the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, the orchestra presents annual summer concerts which take place under the open sky and feature young musicians in training from all over the country.
The recognition towards the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra is reflected in the impressive list of its collaborators: Internationally renowned conductors such as Lawrence Foster, Matthias Bamert, Heinz Holliger, Milan Horvat, Maxim Vengerov, Marcello Viotti, Marc Tar-due, Gábor Takács-Nagy or Hans Urbanek and solo artists such as Natalia Gutmann, Augustin Dumay, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Misha Maisky, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon. Feng Ning, Rudolf Buchbinder, Giovanni Bellucci, Nathalie Stutzmann or Paul Meyer stand for the artistic qualities of the orchestra.
Austria’s Carinthian Summer Music Festival and Feldkirch Festival, the Martinů Festtage in Basel, the Musikfestival Bern, and many more have invited the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra as guest performers. Since 2005, the ensemble regularly performs at the Murten Classics festival and closely collaborates with the Bern University of the Arts. In the 2015/2016 season, the orchestra will be participating at the Music Chapel Festival in Brussels. A tour through China is planned for 2017/2018.
Various recordings have been favourably reviewed nationally and internationally. 2015 will see the beginning of a series of recordings of works by lesser known romantic composers such as Robert Radecke, Ferdinand Thierot, Josef Rheinberger and Robert Volkmann with the label CPO.
First performances (selection)
Orchestral works:
- Jean-Luc Darbellay: Concerts for bass clarinet, flute and horn
- Andreas Pflüger: Double concert for bandoneon and harpsichord
- Philippe Fénelon: Concert arias
- Edward Rushton: "The City"
- Urs Peter Schneider: "Achtsamkeit" / "Amen"
- Hermann Meier: Kleine Elegie / Fünftes Orchesterstück
- Jost Meier: Suite Concertante / "Bieler Stadtratssitzung" / "Adullam"
- Stefans Grové: "Figures in the mist"
- Daniel Andres: Concert for cello and orchestra / Violin concert / Sonata for 18 strings / "…alors la nuit se change en lumière" / Sinfonietta / Orchesterstücke 1, 2, 3 / Piano concert
- John Glenesk Mortimer: "The Ancient Mariner"
- Hanns Eisler: music from the film Grapes of Wrath
Operas:
- Daniel Andres: "Die Nachtigall der Tausend Geschichten"
- Jost Meier: "Pilger und Fuchs"
- Martin Derungs and Martin Markun: "Anna Göldi"
- Benjamin Schweitzer: "Jakob von Gunten"
- Christian Henking: "Figaro¿"
