ING and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra celebrate 35th anniversary as proud partners
Amsterdam, Thursday, April 18, 2024 - Saturday, April 20th marks 35 years since ING and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra established their partnership. Their common goal is to make classical music accessible to a wide audience.
As part of their collaboration, ING supports the orchestra's annual season-opening event, which takes place in a different part of Amsterdam each year. This year’s Opening Night will be held in the Nelson Mandela Park in Amsterdam-Zuidoost on 13 September. The event will feature a free open-air concert.
Over the years, the partnership between the bank and the orchestra has resulted in many successful initiatives. One of them is Essentials, a series of compact concerts that introduces classical masterpieces by renowned composers to new audiences. ING also contributes to the orchestra’s Leading Women in Music Fund, which aims to ensure a stronger representation of female conductors and composers. In addition, the Muziekbuzz brings students from schools outside Amsterdam to RCO House, the orchestra’s home base, to get children excited about classical music.
Longest-running cultural sponsorship
ING (formerly Postbank and NMB) has been the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s main sponsor since 1989. This collaboration – the longest-running cultural sponsorship in the Netherlands – enables the orchestra to remain innovative by attracting top talent as well as leading musicians and conductors. Such support ensures that the Concertgebouw Orchestra continues to excel and to maintain its position among the world's very best orchestras.
“At ING, we believe it is very important to use the arts and culture, including music, to inspire, connect and bring people together. This is why the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and ING work so successfully together. We do this not only by inviting clients and associates to concerts in and outside the Netherlands but also by using the Muziekbuzz to get young people excited about classical music. Additionally, everyone at home can enjoy the concerts too via our special Spotify list featuring the orchestra. These are just a few great examples of initiatives that give a wide audience access to one of the best orchestras in the world. We are extremely proud that we have been able to do this together with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for 35 years", says Peter Jacobs, CEO of ING in the Netherlands.
Dominik Winterling, managing director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, adds: “Making symphonic music accessible to everyone requires more than just government support. Our partners make it possible for the public to enjoy top-tier classical concerts. We are therefore extremely grateful to ING for their loyalty as one of the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s global partners.”
To commemorate this long-term partnership, ING has made a film of highlights from its 35 years of proud collaboration with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.
