Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen

Since its founding in 1958, the Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen has enjoyed a unique position in the German orchestral landscape. It was born of the idea – which is still pursued today – of accompanying young graduates into their professional lives on a professional level, and by now, far more than 500 of its musicians have obtained positions in opera and concert orchestras both in Germany and abroad. The sponsorship of young musicians is not, however, restricted to members of the ensemble itself: the soloists, too, are largely selected with the intention of giving young musicians a podium for their artistic work. Furthermore, the list of guest conductors includes present-day celebrities such as Peter Schneider, Reinhard Goebel and Lothar Zagrosek. With its regular guest performances in Germany and neighboring European countries, the ensemble has gained a highly respected ranking among German chamber orchestras, as is demonstrated most recently by invitations to the Schleswig- Holstein Musik Festival, the Mozartfest Schwetzingen and the Rheingau Musik Festival. The Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen has also made concert tours in Switzerland, Austria, Lithuania, Italy, the Netherlands and Algeria. This young, ambitious orchestra is esteemed by both partners and audience. After more than 50 years, the orchestra is still performing works from all musical epochs with great enthusiasm and at the highest performance level – as is documented by numerous LP and CD recordings.