Folkwang chamber orchestra
Energetic concerts, inquisitive programs and musical excellence have been the hallmarks of the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen for over 60 years. In recent years, the international ensemble of young musicians has earned a name for itself as an innovative chamber orchestra that explores boundaries anew and, as a musical laboratory, experiments with concert forms, genres and styles with great success.
Under the direction of principal conductor Johannes Klumpp, in office since the 2013/14 season, the Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen has been able to sharpen its profile and add another accent to its portfolio with communication between orchestra and audience: In discussion concerts, artist interviews, in-depth moderations and workshop discussions, orchestra members and conductor enter into dialogue with the audience about the music, thus enabling new listening experiences as well as insights into the process of creating a concert.
Several concert series, special concerts and other formats in its home city characterize the musical spectrum of the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen: In addition to early music – superbly supervised by world-class specialists in this field – one focus is on the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In recent years, the ensemble has steadily expanded and consolidated its expertise in Mozart and, with its lively, fresh, cheeky and affectionate playing, ranks among the leading interpreters in this field. The Mozart horn concertos released under the direction of Johannes Klumpp in 2018/2019 on the renowned GENUIN classics label (together with horn player Christoph Eß) as well as four of his symphonies, including the “Great in G minor”, were awarded top marks in the specialist press. Further CD productions are already in the works.
The Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen demonstrates its roots in the city with regular concerts in Essen’s largest venues, including the Villa Hügel, the Philharmonie Essen, the Lichtburg and the Zollverein Coal Mine World Cultural Heritage Site. The Folkwang idea of an interdisciplinary understanding of art is repeatedly realized by the orchestra in projects with other art forms, such as for the Beethoven Year 2020 with the crossover formation Uwaga! or 2021 with the cabaret duo BeckmannGriess.
The high artistic quality of the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen is not only evident in the individual members who regularly perform as soloists in the concerts. The ensemble’s team spirit, freshness and irrepressible joy of playing are also the ideal environment for young guest artists, who have been given a springboard for international careers here. In addition to conductors such as Kristiina Poska, Lorenzo Viotti and Clemens Schuldt, exceptional artists such as Nils Mönkemeyer, Terry Wey, Herbert Schuch, Tobias Feldmann and Hauschka have performed here in recent years.
As a young ensemble, the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen also has a special focus on tomorrow’s audiences: rehearsal visits by school classes, workshops and special family and generation concerts are an integral part of the orchestra’s educational mission.