100 years on the radio
This month it is precisely 100 years ago that the Concertgebouw Orchestra was heard on the radio for the first time. We are celebrating the close collaboration between the Orchestra and what is now AVROTROS radio with a live broadcast from the Amsterdam Hall of the Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Being heard
On 30 March 1924, the Nederlandsche Seintoestellen Fabriek (Dutch Broadcast Devices Factory) broadcast a concert by the Concertgebouw Orchestra transmitted by telephone wire. The Orchestra, performing for the radio for the first time, was led by guest conductor Karl Muck that day.
Nowadays, the majority of our concert programmes – 25 per season – can be listened to via the AVROTROS radio on Sunday afternoons. The concerts are often pre-recorded, but you can also frequently enjoy a live broadcast.
‘We want to share our music with as many people as possible; after all, wanting to be heard is part of what it means to be a musician.’
- Marcel van Tilburg, media productions Concertgebouw Orchestra
Marcel van Tilburg, responsible for media productions at the Concertgebouw Orchestra, on the importance of the collaboration: ‘We want to share our music with as many people as possible; after all, wanting to be heard is part of what it means to be a musician. You can only fit about two thousand people into The Concertgebouw – via radio of course you reach a much, much bigger audience.’
You can be there!
On Sunday 31 March (Easter Sunday), AVROTROS and the Concertgebouw Orchestra will celebrate the 100-year anniversary with a live broadcast from the Amsterdam Hall of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, from 2.00 to 4.30 p.m.
On the show, various guests will discuss the special collaboration: Anna de Vey Mestdagh (second violin in the Concertgebouw Orchestra), Everett Porter (recording engineer), Lodewijk Collette (compiler of the Anthology CD set) and Hans van den Boom (AVROTROS presenter). Recordings will be played as well as live music by orchestra musicians, to wit, pianist Jeroen Bal, principal cellist Gregor Horsch, principal clarinet Olivier Patey and the GoYa Quartet, consisting of Sylvia Huang, Mirelys Morgan Verdecia, Saeko Oguma and Honorine Schaeffer.
If you would like to attend, please register here for free tickets.
Please note: there are only a limited number of places available.