Biography
Passionate music-making and an unbroken desire to search for the unknown are the hallmarks of Concerto Köln. For almost 40 years, the orchestra with its unique sound is one of the leading ensembles in the field of historical performance practice. Established in Cologne’s musical life and also a regular guest in the world’s music capitals and at prestigeous festivals, Concerto Köln stands for outstanding interpretations of early music.Concerto Köln succeeds in interpreting even well-known repertoire in a way that is ‘as fresh and astonishing as if you were hearing it for the first time’ (Die ZEIT).
The interpretations are developed in a collaborative process after accurate study of the sources. Baroque and early classical works are usually rehearsed under the direction of one of the concertmasters Evgeny Sviridov, Mayumi Hirasaki, Justyna Skatulnik, Markus Hoffmann or Anna Dmitrieva. The focus is always on an approach to the original sound of the period in which the respective works were composed. This passion for the search for historical sound also unites the ensemble in its long-standing fruitful collaboration with its honorary conductor Kent Nagano and violinist Shunske Sato.
The year 2025 begins with a concert in the Kölner Philharmonie, in which Concerto Köln, together with pianist Olga Pashchenko under the direction of Harry Ogg, revives an original concert format from the 19th century. Another highlight is the performance of Wagner’s ‘Siegfried’ as part of the major scientific and artistic project ‘The Wagner Cycles’ with Maestro Kent Nagano. Together with the Dresden Festival Orchestra, this production will take the ensemble to Prague, Paris, Cologne, Dresden and Lucerne. In May, there will be a reunion with soprano Jeanine De Bique, followed by a new collaboration with Shunske Sato at the Herrenchiemsee Festival in the summer.
In 2025, Concerto Köln celebrates its 40th anniversary—an occasion worthy of its own concert series. Titled “We Celebrate”, this series will pay tribute each year to a renowned figure in musical history.
The ensemble is closely linked with the Berlin Classics label since 2008, but also remains active for other labels.
Concerto Köln’s work is made possible by the support of committed sponsors, including the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Kunststiftung NRW, the Goethe-Institut and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Since 2009, there has also been a close partnership with MBL Unique High End Audio, which enables the ensemble to focus intensively on sound aesthetics and reproduction quality.
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