Orchestra in wartime

On 4 May, the cultural institutions of Amsterdam’s Museumplein together present a special programme to commemorate the end of the Second World War eighty years ago. You are welcome to join us in the Amsterdam Hall of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for a lecture-recital in which Jan Kouwenhoven, oboist in the orchestra from 1973 to 2015, speaks about the fate of orchestra members during the German occupation. The lecture will be interlaced with music by Marius Flothuis and Leo Smit, performed by principal flute Kersten McCall and pianist Mariken Zandvliet. 

Amsterdam-born composer and pianist Leo Smit, of Portuguese-Jewish descent, was one of the great musical talents of the interbellum. He died at extermination camp Sobibor, aged 42, in 1943. Marius Flothuis, assistant artistic director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, was arrested that year because he refused to join the Netherlands Chamber of Culture established by the occupying forces. In 1944 he was deported. After the war, Flothuis returned to the orchestra, where he would serve as artistic director from 1955 to 1974. 

Please note: Performances in the Amsterdam Hall, Gabriël Metsustraat 16 at:

• 2 p.m.
• 4 p.m.

There is a limited number of free tickets available.