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West
German Sinfonia
Dirk Joeres, Conductor
Soloist TBA
November
2 – 19, 2006
Orchestra
of 50
This
highly-acclaimed orchestra is based on a novel concept:
leading musicians from eight major orchestras.
It’s a concept that generates highly-motivated musicians and ecstatic
reviews of concerts at the Kennedy Center, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall,
Vienna’s Musikverein, and London’s Barbican, among others.
Their discography includes complete symphony cycles by Schubert, Schumann
and Beethoven. Repertoire to
include Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert.
“Instead
of hearing Beethoven, with the Sinfonia you sit next to him. Dirk Joeres conducts with authority, intelligence, directness
and musicality." – The Washington Post
CDs:
Regis, Carlton Classics IMP, Real Sound,
Biographies
West
German Sinfonia, History
When
the West German Sinfonia undertook their first big tour in 1987 the critics and
public were unanimous: “A
top class orchestra, immediately making a name for itself with discipline and
virtuosity…an elite orchestra.” The Orchestra’s foundation in 1987 is based on an original concept:
leading musicians from eight major orchestras in the western region of Germany
(the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, the 'Gürzenich' Symphony
Orchestra also in Cologne, the Municipal Symphony Orchestras in Bonn,
Dortmund, and others) make
up the Sinfonia. Their first CD
recording appeared in 1989; in 1990 they toured the USA for the first time.
In 1991 the Gramophone Magazine London wrote on the occasion of the
Critics’ Choice Award: „superb playing and expressive, perceptive
interpretations“.
Since
its founding, Dirk Joeres and the West German Sinfonia have captivated audiences
from the Berlin Philharmonic Hall to Vienna’s Musikverein, from London’s
Barbican Hall to Washington’s Kennedy Center.
The WGS toured the U.S. in 1990, appeared for the first time in Vienna in
1991, gave their British debut in 1992 at the City of London Festival and the
Cheltenham Festival and had their first televised concert in 1993.
When
the West German Sinfonia 1987 undertook its first larger tour, was itself
technical literature and public unite: "an ensemble of the extra class,
which itself with its disciplined and virtuosen play within a short time made a
name: an elite orchestra ". Its establishment owes the orchestra to an
original concept: prominent musicians from eight North-Rhine/Westphalian
orchestras meet in Leverkusen, in order to prepare under the direction of Dirk
Joeres its concerts and tours here; the members of the West German Sinfonia come
from the orchestras of Bonn, Dortmund, Duisburg, Duesseldorf, Essen, Cologne,
Krefeld/Moenchengladbach and Wuppertal. Repertoire emphasis of the Sinfonia is
the classical period, early romance and classical modern trend.
The
West German Sinfonia had their first foreign appearance 1988 with the
international Festival in Bratislava and since then has itself the Or¢hester
the concert halls of the Amsterdamer Concertgebouw up to the Viennese music
association hall, from which citizen of Berlin conquers Philharmonic Concert
Halls up to the Londoner Barbican and Kennedy center Washington: first USA tour
1990, Vienna debut 1991, Great Britain debut 1992 with town center the OF London
Festival. Numerous CD bringing in which received maximum evaluations from the
international technical literature, appeared parallel to. The NDR Hamburg noted
a first television production with the orchestra to 1992. With the large
international Festivals the West German Sinfonia is regular to guest.
In
recent time the concentrated West German Sinfonia among other things in the
Philharmonic Concert Hall Cologne, the concert hall Duesseldorf, in the
Brucknerhaus Linz and in the Philharmonic Concert Hall Munich, with the
international Festival Budapest and with the international Beethovenfest Bonn.
Tours led the orchestra to Spain and Great Britain. In the autumn 2002 the West
German Sinfonia celebrates its 1 5jaehriges anniversary with an expanded Germany
tour.
Dirk
Joeres
Artistic
Director, West German Sinfonia
Associate Conductor, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - London
Born
in Bonn, Dirk Joeres studied conducting and piano in Berlin, Cologne and London,
and composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, the grande dame of 20th Century
musical life.
Winning
first prize at the International Piano Competition in Vercelli (1972), touring
extensively and appearing at international festivals (Festival of Berlin, Prague
Spring, etc.) Dirk Joeres initially became well-known as a pianist.
Already then the press recognized his “feeling for expansive
phrasing and for musical insight“ (Süddeutsche Zeitung) and “illuminating
originality“ (The New York Times).
In
1987 he was appointed Artistic Director of the West German Sinfonia and in 2000
Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London.
He now appears regularly with these orchestras at international festivals
(Beethovenfest Bonn, Bratislava, Budapest, Cheltenham, London, Schleswig-Holstein,
etc.) and tours in Europe and the USA.
His
recordings with the Sinfonia and the Royal Philharmonic have received excellent
reviews in the international press; Gramophone, London awarding their
‘Critic’s Choice’ for one of his Brahms recordings, wrote: “superb
playing and warm, thoughtful and perceptive performances”.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung underlined the “profound insight”
of this conductor, thanks to his studies in composition “musical discourses
are brought over with intelligence and intensity”.
In
2002 Dirk Joeres initiated a highly successful, annual festival in the Region of
Bonn called “Dreiklang” linking music, literature and philosophy in a novel
way.
Reviews
Review
Quotes US (click to enlarge)
Various
Review Quotes (click to enlarge)
European
Review Quotes (click to enlarge)
Frankfurt
Allegemeine Zeitung (click to enlarge)
Daily
Telegraph (click to enlarge)
BBC
Music (click to enlarge)
Programs
Subject
to change
| 1 |
Schumann: |
Overture,
Scherzo and Finale op. 52 |
18’ |
|
Cello
Concerto TBA |
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********
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Schumann: |
Symphony
No. 1 op. 38 (“Spring”) |
35’ |
| 2 |
Mendelssohn: |
Overture
„Ruy blas“ op. 95 |
08’ |
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or
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Weber: |
Overture
“Freischütz” |
10’ |
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Schumann: |
Symphony
No 3 op. 97 (“Rhenish”) |
34’ |
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********
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Beethoven: |
Symphony
No. 6 op. 68 (“Pastorale”) |
42’ |
Discography
Johannes
Brahms: Serenade No. 1 op. 11
Serenade No. 2 op. 16
(Regis Records, RRC 1048)
Jan
Vaclav Vorisek: Symphony D major op. 24
Jan Vaclav Vorisek: 7 Imrpomptus op 7 (Dirk Joeres, piano solo)
(Regis Records, FRC 9101)
C.
Saint-Saens: Symphony in A
G: Bizet: Symphony in C
(will be released on Regis Records in 2005)
Complete
CD Cycle of Franz Schubert’ Symphonies
Franz
Schubert: Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 5
(Real Sound RS 1055)
Franz
Schubert: Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 6
(RealSound, release October 2004)
This
Schubert Series will be completed by two more discs in 2005/2006.
Franz
Schubert: Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 8 (“Unfinished”)
Franz
Schubert: Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 9
Personal
& Biased Comments About The Artist
The
life of an orchestral musician can be a tough one, with a steady diet of
conductors of differing temperaments and talent, a perhaps too-familiar chief
conductor, and the deadening effects of routine.
Dirk Joeres and his West German Sinfonia are a smart answer to this.
The best musicians of North-Rhine/Westphalia take off from their
regular gigs with the region’s full-time orchestras just because they crave
something else. The result is
spirited, alert music-making which you can hear on the sound samples.
Technical
Requirements
Chairs
and music stands for an orchestra of up to 50, bass stools, conductor’s
podium, 3 loaders for load-in & load-out, dressing room for conductor,
dressing room for soloist, choral rooms for ladies and gentlemen of the
orchestra, light snacks and drinks backstage during rehearsal and concert,
access for concert hall for up to 2.5 hours rehearsal on the day of the concert.
More TBA.
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