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Indien je een mens bent, laat dit veld leeg:.

dutch symphony orchestra

Director sues own orchestra to death

by Henri Drost
16 March 201429 March 2022
4 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, OPERA

It was big news. One orchestra is seizing the instruments of another. Only it doesn't add up. Just as much does not appear to be right in conductor Jan Willem de Vriend's letter in last Thursday's Volkskrant.

Because we have been closely following the orchestral feud between the Netherlands Philharmonic and the Netherlands Symphonic for some time, we already knew that De Vriend was not telling the truth with his statement that, legally speaking, it was now 2-2 between the two orchestras. It st...

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Orchestra war escalates: Enschede's star orchestra has to hand in instruments

by one of our members
13 March 201430 March 2022
2 min read
ACTUAL, For members only

Seizure of the instruments of the former Netherlands Symphony Orchestra is imminent. The orchestra, which has been banned from using the word "Dutch" since a lost legal battle with Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, is thus not allowed to sell instruments or take them abroad. Pending a countermove from the former Orchestra of the East, they changed the name there to ***** Symphony Orchestra.

Jan Willem De Vriend, conductor of the troubled Enschede-based orchestra, wrote this morning in ...

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Star. Five times. And then Symphony Orchestra.

by Henri Drost
21 February 201430 March 2022
3 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, OPERA

Five-star Symphony Orchestra. This is how the Dutch Symphony Orchestra will be called next season. The former Orkest van het Oosten tried to become 'Dutch' but faced a lawsuit from the Philharmonic Orchestra, which was already 'Dutch'. 'Politics should get involved in the legal process. Because it can't go on like this. This is costing tons of money.' Says Harm Mannak.

[Tweet "Director throws symphony orchestra name up for grabs"]

The director of the former Orchestra of the Oo...

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Is Jan Willem de Vriend naive, or is he blatantly lying?

by Henri Drost
23 March 20128 July 2016
6 min read
ACTUAL, MUSIC, OPERA

We have already written at length about the Ajax situation in Enschede: orchestra and opera are at odds over an unexpected opera subsidy application by the orchestra. Startled by the ensuing commotion, some of those involved have since responded. It's just a damn shame that those reactions are not aligned.

Read More "Is Jan Willem de Vriend naive, or is he blatantly lying?

'Only' 800 redundancies, but five thousand jobs will disappear.

by Wijbrand Schaap
10 March 201229 March 2022
3 min read
ACTUAL, For members only

For the trade unions, it is not too bad: because of the mega-cuts in art, 800 people are to be laid off. That is almost nothing compared to, say, the bankrupt Nedcar, where redundancies at one location are likely to be double or more. For the Ministry of OC&W, it's already a small celebration too, because this way the so-called 'friction costs' will be contained. And the sector itself, with its moaning and shouting, is of course back in the picture. It v...

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Eastern orchestras settle 40% rebate on musicians' salaries and union is sidelined

by Henri Drost
9 March 201229 March 2022
3 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, MUSIC, OPERA

[recap] In order to avoid having to merge ánd bring in an extra half a million each, the orchestras in Overijssel and Gelderland made very ambitious plans. Which bear striking similarities. Both orchestras requested and received money from the province, albeit much less than requested. In theory, this would compensate for the reduction in the state subsidy, but that provincial money is mainly meant to reform the organisation. However, it is not enough for that. Not nearly enough...

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How two orchestras sold an international revenue model as regional

by Henri Drost
6 March 201230 March 2022
6 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, MUSIC, OPERA

Recap: There are too many orchestras in the Netherlands, the government thinks, and so a few have to go. Or merge. Now that forced merging doesn't seem to go very heartily. But you can make money out of it. In Gelderland and Overijssel, this leads to bizarre scenes. It would have been comical if it hadn't cost so much money.
To bring in an extra five tonnes, the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and the Gelderland Orchestra are pulling together. And with success: the provincial authorities of Overi...

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Orchestras in eastern Netherlands go slating

by Henri Drost
5 March 201229 March 2022
9 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, MUSIC, OPERA

Nearly thirteen million The Gelderland Orchestra (HGO) asked for the province of Gelderland. It got three-and-a-half. Just enough to absorb the reduction in the state subsidy for the next two years and to work towards a new organisational structure and a new revenue model, as described in a very ambitious business plan, which...... wait a minute. We have already written about this, haven't we?

True. It is like two drops of water to our story about the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, the former Orkes...

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Cultural merger fever could have serious consequences

by Wijbrand Schaap
29 February 20128 July 2016
3 min read
ACTUAL

In Amsterdam, Holland Festival, Theaterfestival, Toneelgroep Amsterdam and a few more clubs will 'work closely together'. In The Hague, this applies to Het Nationale Toneel and youth theatre house Stella Den Haag, while in Rotterdam

Read More "

Amsterdam takes Netherlands Symphony Orchestra to court

by Henri Drost
23 February 201229 March 2022
2 min read
ACTUAL, For members only, MUSIC, OPERA

We already wrote at length about the Orkest van het Oosten's name change to the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The curious opera grant application based on a business plan that carries huge risks also had our full attention. Permanent partner the National Travel Opera was not amused.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra is also fighting the NSO. In the capital city, they think the Enschede orchestra's new name is very much like its own n...

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Ambitions City Promotion made Grenswerk hopeless.

by Henri Drost
22 February 20128 July 2016
5 min read
MUSIC, OPERA

Festival Grenswerk was told on Tuesday 21 February that it must stop after three successful years because it does not match the ambitions of Stichting Enschede Promotie. The festival set up in 2009 was given a thick set of demands by the alderman that it could not meet after a scathing report by this revamped VVV.

Read More "

Cultural balderdash or snake pit Enschede?

by one of our members
21 February 201230 March 2022
1 min read
ACTUAL, For members only

It looked like it was going to be something. With a church of huge Lego blocks and a programme that seemed to matter. But alas, Grenswerk, the festival that was supposed to bring the region around Enschede together, is no more. After three years. And it won't stop until 2013, like most arts institutions, but already in 2012. Too much had to change for that to happen. The municipality suggested...

Read More "

Culture Council given little leeway

by one of our members
16 February 201230 March 2022
3 min read
ACTUAL, For members only

He barely showed his face in recent months, rarely engaging in debate with artists or the public. Now that the mega budget cut on culture is law, and nothing can be changed about it until 2016, we can follow Halbe Zijlstra's victory lap again. Also on twitter.

'Ajax states' in sudden war between Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and National Travel Opera

by Henri Drost
13 February 20128 July 2016
9 min read
ACTUAL, MUSIC, OPERA

This week, the National Travel Opera begins rehearsals of Mozart's Le nozze di figaro. In the bin, the brand-new Netherlands Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend. Business as usual, as both companies have been working closely together for years and are united in the National Music Quarter Enschede. Only: orchestra and opera company have not been talking to each other since last week.

Read More "

"Battle of the Orchestras" kicks off with name change Orchestra of the East Netherlands Symphony Orchestra

by Henri Drost
19 October 20118 July 2016
2 min read
ACTUAL, MUSIC, OPERA

The Netherlands has a new orchestra: the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. At least, new in name. The Orkest van het Oosten does not seem to be waiting for possible forced mergers, and is already claiming its position as the national orchestra outside the Randstad by means of this striking name change that was announced today before the start of a concert with the Jussen brothers.

Read More ""Battle of the Orchestras" kicks off with name change Orchestra of the East Netherlands Symphony Orchestra