Brahms 4 met Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Yannick Nézet-Séguin: Die Walküre

Binnenkort te beluisteren in de concertzaal

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Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest

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Om te blijven doen wat wij doen is steun nodig. Van iedereen die het orkest een warm hart toedraagt. Dat gaat zeker niet alleen om grote gebaren, ieder bedrag telt.

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News & Wonder

Onze concertseries bieden een selectie uit het brede aanbod van seizoen 2024-2025, met een aantrekkelijke korting ten opzichte van de prijs voor losse kaarten.

Concertseries

How old were you when you knew viola was your instrument? When were you sure? I started playing the violin myself when I was six. When I was fourteen I came across a teacher who had all her students also play the viola in chamber music. She then quickly thought that it would be a good idea if I studied viola at the conservatory. I had to get used to that myself at first. Going to the conservatory was actually not my own plan. Then I took a few lessons with a teacher at the conservatory and I really liked it. I was about eighteen years old and then I decided to go for this.
What would you have become if you had not become a musician? In my dreams, had I not become a musician, I would have liked to be a dancer. I think dancing is really amazing. I find it fascinating what people can do with their body, but also the expression they express through their bodies. That's really fantastic.
Best music next to classical music? Too difficult. I like so many things. Pop, R&amp;B, Latin, but also techno.
What is really characteristic of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra? That the orchestra identifies so strongly with the city of Rotterdam. When, for example, Feyenoord wins an important prize or is in an important final, we also make our contribution. We perform together with them or appear in a TV program together. There are also many concerts for Rotterdam youth, at schools. A real connection is sought with people of different origins who are represented in Rotterdam. Being there for your city and for the people is something I really like about the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

León van den Berg 

Viola

I think dancing is really amazing. I find it fascinating what people can do with their body, but also the expression they express through their bodies. 

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Organisatie

Programme Notes

Heroism, betrayal and forbidden love: In Die Walküre, Wagner opens all dramatic registers.

de Volkskrant

Olfje van der Klein

Trailer

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ In Concert

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Trouw

Je krijgt de live-beleving die je normaal alleen bij toneel of een concert ervaart. Het komt heel dichtbij.

Emanuele Silvestri

Principal Cello

Do you come from a musical family yourself? Not really. My parents thought it was important for us to play a musical instrument, but they were not musicians themselves. My father played the violin a little, but you don't want to know how. They only knew that knowing music and playing an instrument can be important for children.
How old were you when you knew you wanted to do this? I think from the moment I started playing with youth orchestras. Then it was really fun and it became special. From that moment on I no longer had the feeling that it was an obligatory thing, but that it would be really nice to be able to do it. I was maybe fifteen or sixteen years old and of course I couldn't yet know that I would become a cellist, but I found it super fascinating and exciting.
What makes a concert a phenomenal or fantastic concert for you? In principle, all concerts should be equal, because the music speaks for itself and should not be more important at certain moments than others. Music is always important. There are concerts where you feel that it is more shared, more understood, between the audience and the orchestra.
I had a teacher who said ‘You notice it in the quality of the moment just after the last bar, not the applause.’ Just that moment in between is what counts.
What lesson in your musical life has impressed you the most? My very first teacher, he was actually born in 1899, so he was very old when I started with him. He used to say, ‘I'm a beginner every day.’ And that might be a good attitude. I think about this phrase very often. It just shows that we can recreate anything, every day.
Is there anything you have given up for your life in music? If I know I have to rehearse on Monday, then I can't think about it all weekend and just come to work on Monday. However, sacrifice comes naturally, so you don't think much about it. You must be prepared. You have to be in shape. You should already be in the mood for what's to come. I can't just wake up, sit down and do my job. That is sometimes difficult, because it takes away a bit of your free time. But that's part of the job.

Mario Rio

Cello

My very first teacher used to say, ‘I'm a beginner every day.’ I think about this phrase very often. It just shows that we can recreate anything, every day.

How did the Cello come into your life? That was a long time ago, I'm now 60 and I was probably around eight or nine. You see all kinds of instruments then. My mother played the piano, my brother the violin, so I didn't want to do either. So then the cello seemed fun to me. In the end, it suits me, but it could just as easily have been something else. Still today.
What would you have become if you hadn't become a musician? Of course, that's always speculation. I'm a musician, but I'm also involved in many other things. Especially designing programs, creating texts. So if it had been a different profession, it would undoubtedly have been something to do with text or research.
Is there another instrument you would like to master? I rarely think about that. It would be fun to be able to master a wind instrument; like the saxophone or something, but it's not something I think about. That might be fun one day, then you also play a bit of different types of music.
Do you have a favourite place in Rotterdam? I love museums. I do miss Boijmans, I have to say. That neighbourhood is fun in general, the Witte de Withstraat. But I also love the St. Lawrence Church. I love the Noordereiland, being in between the water, experiencing the feeling of the harbor there a bit. That's part of Rotterdam for me.
When you're so busy with music, can it still touch you? That's difficult to compare, everyone enjoys things differently. You don't enjoy it less because you've done it more. I actually think it's the opposite, because you increasingly notice what's beautiful about the music and especially the music you play. You discover more and more, which actually makes it even more beautiful and satisfying.
Who or what inspires you? I'm generally inspired by artists. Great visual artists, musicians, but also authors, literature, and painting. I see a lot in that and I'm also very involved with it.
What makes a concert a phenomenal/fantastic concert for you? When a performance goes really well, you actually have no limits. Then the difference between conductor and orchestra, musician and audience, musician and music piece disappears. If all that is eliminated, if it runs as it develops, then you have the most beautiful performance.

Eelco Beinema

You don't enjoy it less because you've played it before. You discover more and more, which actually makes the music even more beautiful and satisfying.

Concerttoelichting

Concertpodcast

Heldenmoed, verraad en verboden liefde: in Die Walküre trekt Wagner alle dramatische registers open.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert

Beleef de magie van Harry Potter™ in de concertzaal: filmvertoning met live muziek door een groot orkest.

'Je krijgt de live-beleving die je normaal alleen bij toneel of een concert ervaart. Het komt heel dichtbij.'

What makes a concert a phenomenal concert for you? It has to matter. And that is very vague, but the moment you give a concert, you are looking for an experience. Of course from yourself, but also with your sensitivity that I assume you have as a stage artist. Also an experience of the person who judges that performance or who is part of it from the public gallery. What you are trying to do is judge in that sensitivity whether that concert should have been there at that moment. That it is inevitable.
If a concert is played because it is in the schedule or because it is stated in the program booklet that it must be played, then I myself find it tiring and uninspiring. But if you play it as if the music should sound at that moment, that that is actually the moment you don't want to miss. Because that's the profession we have, we make moments. That is really very important to me, that you know how to create that. The inevitability of that moment, maybe an hour, hour and a half of concert. That's what I always strive for, but that does not mean it always happens.
Do you experience a certain connection with the audience while you are playing? I feel it very strongly, that bond with the audience. So even though I don't express it physically. I feel very strong. I am very attentive to the audience when I play. If someone crosses their legs or coughs, I immediately save that. Because if someone coughs, it means that he is able to make his body cough at that moment. While if I play very beautifully, I am convinced that someone does not cough because he is so involved in what I do that he does not even think about it and does not feel that impulse.
Do you have three names that inspire you musically? That is a good question. I really like the playing of Yo-Yo Ma, a Chinese American cellist. If I had my phone now I would check Spotify. I listen to the craziest things, but it's somewhere else. I also have a Bill Evans record that I think is fantastic. And my wife gave me a record by Ibrahim Maalouf, a trumpeter from Beirut, also really fantastic. When I hear Michael Jackson, I am always deeply impressed by how incredible that music is put together and what kind of movement there is. I can listen to anything. I don't really have a lot of favourites. I can be amazed by anything. Let me put it this way. Very wide.

Pepijn Meeuws

I feel the bond with the audience very strongly, even if I don't express it physically.

How did the Cello come into your life? I first played the piano, but that turned out to be just too difficult. My hands are too small. So at fourteen I chose the cello. Cello was easier, that's why.
Was there a certain moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician? Yes, when I was in college. I studied school music, so I would teach music at a primary school or gymnasium.  I found it terrible. So I decided I wanted to be an orchestra musician if I could.
How do you rehearse a piece of music? First I check the pace and then start studying study slowly. If that doesn't work, I listen! That helps a lot, listening or watching on YouTube.
What lesson in your musical life has impressed you the most? I went to a mental trainer a few years ago. She is not a cellist herself, she was a horn player and she trained me for auditions. I learned a lot from her. It's not about perfection, it's about the moment. You need to stay with the moment, that remains with me to this day. If something goes wrong or if i have negative thoughts: just let it go. That may happen. Mistakes are allowed to happen. I learned that from her.
What makes a day a good day for you? If I ate something special or delicious. Or someone's smile. Or a nice view, a nice run. That already makes a good day.

Yi-Ting Fang

I first played the piano, but that turned out to be just too difficult. My hands are too small. So at fourteen I chose the cello. Cello was easier, that's why.

Mission Symphonic is een muziekproject waarbij de leerlingen op een interactieve manier kennismaken met de magische wereld van klassieke muziek.

Mission Symphonic

What is so great for you about the double bass? Well, it’s the deep, low resonant notes that are best. The base lines I consider just as important as the melody lines.
Is there anything that you had to give up for your career in music? The only thing I felt like I’ve had to give up is living in a part of the world where there are amazing hiking trails and hills. And I suppose there are some orchestras in these places, but I am here in a very flat country, but I still love it.
What does your study room look like? Do you have a study room? Yes, it’s the top floor of my house. It’s got a sofa bed, a carpet and the double bass is leaning against the wardrobe. And a few music stands. Music all over the place...along with kids toys, kind of in annoying places. I keep having to push that away. 
What would you have chosen career wise if it wouldn’t have been music? I think something like a park ranger. Something to do with the wilderness.
Who or what inspirers you? Preferably names outside the classical music scene. Well, people with a mixture of talent and passion. My favourite jazz musician is Oscar Peterson. My favourite, kind of cross-over jazz/pop musician is Amy Winehouse. And I think my favourite singer, that’s more rock, is Freddie Mercury.
The best music except for classical music. Right. Let’s think. I have to go back to my student days, and it will maybe be something from Blur. Girls &amp; Boys from Blur or Stone Roses, something like that. Some English nineties Britpop stuff, that’s all good.
What is truly characteristic of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra?  I genuinely think our orchestra plays more often with a raw passion than other orchestras. The same kind of passion that I felt when I was in a youth orchestra. Many other orchestras are perhaps a little neater. Less risk taking.

Matthew Midgley

Principal Double Bass

Our orchestra can play more often with a raw passion.

How did you choose the double bass? Well, I didn't choose. It was my mother's idea. I've always been tall and when I went to high school, I had the choice to play in the orchestra, learn an instrument. And so, my mother said, you're tall, pick up the double bass. But I had no idea what the double bass was until I got to the school, and they had all the instruments there. I almost took the cello because the double bass looks so big and ridiculous, but in the end, I gravitated to the bass.
Is there something you gave up for your life in music? Well, I did sacrifice my family. I left my entire family from Los Angeles and came to Holland to play music. And honestly, I think it's the best choice ever made in my life because I feel at home with the music scene in the Netherlands. So that was a very big sacrifice.
Life as a professional musician is quite demanding physically and mentally. Do you have things to compensate for that, to keep yourself in balance? Music is quite intense. It's a mental sport, it's a top sport. You've got to be your best at the moment. You need to play those notes. For me, I like to keep in shape, and I go running regularly during the week. I live close to the Kralingse plas, it's a beautiful lake here in Holland, so it's a beautiful route to go running and that clears my mind and keeps me fresh. And also, since I live in Rotterdam, I go with the bicycle to the hall. That's also physical activity and I love riding through the city, just watching the whole city with the people in the cafes and the shops.
What do you think is a unique selling point for the Rotterdam Philharmonic orchestra? The Rotterdam Philharmonic, the first time I saw it, when I was studying in Amsterdam, has an incredible energy, like lightning. And the first time I saw the orchestra, I wanted to be a member. It's got a unique energy compared to any other orchestra that I know.
What makes an amazing concert? An amazing concert is like skiing and not falling over, going downhill. You feel that you're in control of the whole situation. And there is a fantastic dynamic energy in the ensemble, that everything you do is just amazing. It's a feeling within the ensemble.

Robert Franenberg

Double bass

I had to leave my entire family in Los Angeles and came to Holland to play music. I feel at home with the music scene in the Netherlands. 

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Why did you choose the double bass? I started playing the violin when I was six years old, but I didn't like it that much, all that high-pitched stuff. Then I heard the double bass and thought it was really cool. Nice and low, full. I was able to borrow a double bass from the youth orchestra and never regretted it. It's wonderful to play.
Who or what inspires you? The whole experience of making music always amazes and inspires me, because it's really quite miraculous what we do. I still don't quite understand what we're precisely doing. But it's fantastic that you can touch a lot of people with music. And that people come together and experience something beautiful together, without thinking about money, power, or all kinds of other things. Without words. I still find the whole concert experience very fascinating and motivating. I think it's a beautiful profession.
Do you come from a musical family? My mother also played. She was a pianist, violinist and violist. So I got a little bit of it from my upbringing.
Which lesson in your musical life made the biggest impression on you? I do remember a lesson, when I was taught by Anthony Woodrow, a double bass player who also used to be a soloist here. At some point, we did a double bass solo in Othello, the opera. I was studying it; focusing on the notes. Then he suggested that I also think about what the notes actually mean while playing. In this case, it's about a king who is thinking, walking around, and pondering. And that image has always stayed with me. If you have an image in the music: give meaning to your notes, it helps tremendously. That's how most conductors work too, with imagery. That you have a certain image in your head and translate it into the music. I always remember that lesson for that reason. It's not just important to read the notes that are there, but it's also important to look behind the notes to see what the meaning is.
Do you have a favourite spot in Rotterdam? That's at Hotel New York, when the sun sets, and you look at the city, it's spectacular to see. I think that's really the most beautiful place in Rotterdam. That's a really nice place to go to in the evening.

Harke Wiersma

The whole experience of making music always amazes and inspires me, because it's really quite miraculous what we do. It's fantastic that you can touch a lot of people with music.

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How did the double bass come into your life? I initially played cello and I always found the double bass interesting. However, my parents said, "Start with the cello, because it's more manageable, and you can switch to the double bass later." When I turned eighteen, I finally switched to the double bass. To this day I have no regrets.
Was there a specific moment in your career when you consciously chose this path? No, there wasn't a specific moment. It just happened naturally. It's more that I never thought of doing anything else. It has always been very clear to me that I would continue with music. I never asked myself that question.
Do you ever study in hotel rooms when you're on tour? It's actually difficult for a double bassist to study during tours. Because the bass is so large and stored in a case, it's often in transit from one venue to another. So you can only take your bass out of the case when you arrive at a concert hall. It's not an instrument that you can carry under your arm into a hotel room. So that's not really an option for us, but then we have time for other things.
Who or what inspires you? Someone like Yannick (Nézet-Séguin) inspires me musically a lot. When I listen to recordings of him, I think he's the father of my musicality. I joined the orchestra when he was the chief conductor. That has shaped my musicality over the past ten years, especially for symphonic repertoire.
Do you come from a musical family? In a way, yes, because my parents always made music, but not professionally. It was very casual. I was not pushed to pursue music, but it was a very positive element in my upbringing.
What makes a concert phenomenal for you? The feeling. And the moment that your colleagues also have the same feeling. It's like an airplane taking off. You can feel it. But you're not doing it alone; you're doing it together. Words are not enough to describe it.
What is a characteristic of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra? That the orchestra always goes all out and even adds an extra dimension to the concert. People who come and play with us for the first time don’t realize it until they experience a concert. Then they think wow, okay, that's the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Because suddenly, it goes into overdrive.

Arjen Leendertz

Someone like Yannick Nézet-Séguin inspires me musically a lot.

Why did you join the Rotterdam Philharmonic? First of all, because it’s an amazing orchestra. I remember when I played here for the first time as a freelancer, Brahms’ First Symphony, and one of my teachers was also in the orchestra at that time. I felt so comfortable and so familiar with this environment that I just decided: if there is an audition coming, I’ll do it and I want to win it. And I got in.
What is a unique selling point for the Rotterdam Philharmonic orchestra? Having what you have here is not easy for every orchestra in the world. For instance, having an incredible collection of double bass is already something unique. You don’t usually see such high-quality instruments with so much history that allow you to play and do your job.
And another thing is, of course, the audience and the concerts in this amazing hall, de Doelen. The tremendous quality that we have here with conductors and soloists. Touring with the orchestra all over Europe and the world. It is just an experience of which you cannot be happier as a musician. This is something I dreamed for all my live and where I want to be for many, many years. I do not know what is going to happen, but for many years I want to stay here, because this is my home now. 
If you go on tour, do you practice in the hotel room? No, on tour I usually don’t practice, because we are bass players, and we cannot carry our instruments like the violins. So, the instruments must go on the truck all the time. We barely see them out of the concert hall. The only chance we have is basically when we go for the dress rehearsal, then we can play. Which is a good thing because you can use that time to rest as well. To visit the city if you have time and, as a food lover, of course to see the food culture of that specific country. In that case I prefer to eat instead of practising.
How would you describe Rotterdam in three words? Impressive, unusual and a home. A home even if you are visiting. The old part of the city or the new part, you can see so many differences of what was before the war and what was after the war. If you come to Rotterdam just beware of the history first, because if you know the story and the background, I think you will understand the city much more. And I am sure you will fall in love because it’s just amazing.
What would be your profession if you weren’t a musician? Oh, a chef, for sure. A chef. Because my mom is also a chef, so I have from my mom’s side the food loving and from my father’s side the music loving. I think in this case my option was to go for my father’s side, but to answer that question I think I would be chef for sure.

Ricardo Netó

This is something I dreamed for all my live and where I want to be for many, many years. I do not know what is going to happen, but for many years I want to stay here, because this is my home now. 

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