Basel Chamber Orchestra
About us
The Basel Chamber Orchestra is firmly anchored in Basel, with two subscription series at the Stadtcasino Basel and its own rehearsal and performance venue, the Don Bosco Basel. With more than 60 concerts per season, the Basel Chamber Orchestra tours worldwide and is a welcome guest at international festivals and the most important European concert halls, such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées Paris or the Theater an der Wien.
A discography of over 30 award-winning recordings on prestigious labels such as Sony, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Pentatone and Warner Classics testifies to the outstanding quality of this versatile ensemble.
For its historically informed interpretations, the Basel Chamber Orchestra was awarded the ECHO Klassik in the category "Best Ensemble" in 2008 and in 2019 will be the first orchestra to receive a Swiss music prize.
The Basel Chamber Orchestra always enjoys working with selected soloists such as Hélène Grimaud, Regula Mühlemann, Vilde Frang, Bertrand Chamayou and Sebastian Bohren. Under the artistic direction of the concertmasters and selected conductors such as Delyana Lazarova, Izabelė Jankauskaitė, René Jacobs and Marc Minkowski, the Basel Chamber Orchestra presents its broad repertoire.
The concert programmes are as varied as the 47 musicians, ranging from early music on period instruments to historically informed interpretations and contemporary music. Each year the Basel Chamber Orchestra commissions new works and takes part in the Basel Composition Competition.
Under the baton of Giovanni Antonini, the Orchestra will alternate with the Il Giardino Armonico ensemble in performing and recording all 107 symphonies of Joseph Haydn until 2032. From 2022, all of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's symphonies will be performed under the baton of Philippe Herreweghe.
Another core element of the Orchestra's work is its forward-looking outreach work in large-scale participatory projects involving creative exchanges with children and young people.
With a high degree of self-financing, the Basel Chamber Orchestra pursues an innovative, entrepreneurial approach.
From 2019, the Clariant Foundation will be the presenting sponsor of the Basel Chamber Orchestra.
Our vision
"We are an innovative, artistically independent and creative top ensemble. With our love and passion for music, we break new ground, transcend boundaries and inspire our audiences. We are constantly developing our own historically oriented sound."
Our mission statement
The Orchestra
We are an internationally successful top orchestra based in Basel. Our shared challenge is to achieve the highest musical quality.
The Music
We see music as the direct language of passion. With our broad repertoire, which we develop using both historical and modern instruments, we seek new avenues of interpretation.
The Concerts
Every concert becomes a unique and shared experience when there is a spark between the orchestra and the audience. We want to transport our listeners away from everyday life with varied programmes, trigger emotions and at the same time inspire reflection.
The musicians
We embody an artistically self-determined organisation with individualists who are strong as team players. As an orchestra, we build on values such as respect, fairness and friendship.
The audience
Our goal is to provide musical highlights of the highest standard for a curious audience. We see ourselves as hosts and welcome our visitors with open arms.
Our circle of friends
The support of our circle of friends creates the ideal conditions for creative excellence – both conceptually and financially.
Responsibility
We are committed to treating our environment responsibly. With the support of experts, we develop strategies to reduce emissions in order to lower our own carbon footprint and help shape the transition to a sustainable society.
Encounter and communication
We see ourselves as an artistic production company that reaches out to its audience with a wide range of communication services.
Sponsors, foundations and subsidy providers
We are supported by the long-term and sustainable backing of our sponsors, foundations and the public sector. We reflect on the roots and needs of Basel as a city of music and organise successful tours.
Our goals
The orchestra
We are establishing ourselves among the leading international chamber orchestras and are supported by a growing circle of friends and guests in our home city of Basel.
The sound
We shed new light on established, significant works and their composers, constantly rediscovering them. In doing so, we always strive for the perfect, unique sound.
The programmes
We pursue various long-term artistic projects and programmatic priorities. Focused engagement with a specific musical language enables the musicians to continuously develop artistically, both individually and collectively, which enriches the orchestra's self-image in a positive sense.
The orchestra as a business
As a modern orchestra, we are expanding our circle of friends and supporters. At the same time, we strive for balanced, contemporary financing based on three pillars: public, private and concert revenues.
Sustainability
We usually travel by train or bus and recommend that our soloists and conductors do the same. Air travel and transport are considered exceptions.
Promoting accessibility and diversity
We strive to make our concerts accessible to everyone – with as few barriers as possible.
Our working environment is characterised by openness and equality: every person is valued, regardless of their origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or physical abilities.
Education
As musicians based in Basel, we take responsibility for nurturing a new generation of audiences. We develop our own educational formats and work closely with regional schools and institutions to reach further target groups. Internationally, we are recognised as an orchestra with high standards in education.
Partners
We develop long-term partnerships with exceptional artistic personalities. In addition, we are deepening our cooperation with important international guest venues and festivals. We regularly present ourselves on concert tours outside the European continent.
Members of the Basel Chamber Orchestra
Photo credits: Matthias Müller
Violin
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Daniel Bard, Concertmaster
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Baptiste Lopez, Concertmaster
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Julia Schröder, Concertmaster
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Dmitry Smirnov, Concertmaster
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Violinist Dmitry Smirnov is described as having an “exuberant artistic personality and wonderful sound, so flexible and sensitive”. Dmitry’s finesse and flexibility extends to a wide range of forms and genres, including solo, chamber, early, contemporary and everything in between. His early studies at the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint-Petersburg State Conservatory, Lausanne Institute of Advanced Musical Studies and Basel Music Academy, under mentors such as Elena Zaiceva, Pavel Vernikov and Rainer Schmidt, have led him to numerous successes in the industry.
Dmitry’s engagements in season 2023-24 include performances of Max Reger’s Symphonic Rhapsody with conductor Jakub Przybycien and The Lucerne Collective, Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto with Delyana Lazarova and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and Tchaikovsky’s Concerto with Johannes Schlaefli and Collegium Musicum Basel. Dmitry is also a laureate of the Classeek Ambassador Programme this season, nominated by Sonia Simmenauer.
He has established himself as a soloist in performances with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra Saint-Petersbourg, Moscow Philharmonic State and Chamber Orchestra of Moscow, Lucerne Festival Strings, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Argovia Philharmonic and more. His international accolades include 2nd prize at the 2021 ARD Musikwettbewerb competition, 3rd prize and best contemporary interpretation at the 2018 Concours international Long-Thibaud-Crespin, 1st prize and audience award at the 2015 Concours international de violon Tibor Varga, amongst others.
Pushing the boundaries of his artistry, Dmitry's latest disc release, with conductor Heinz Holliger and Kammerorchester Basel on Prospero Classical, delves into French Romantic repertoire, showcasing his unique interpretations of works by Lalo, Saint-Saëns and more, played on gut strings. In addition, his own arrangements of folk music and Lied repertoire add a new dimension to this musical exploration.
In his debut solo album, Dmitry delves into the expressive colours of the violin and is praised for his ability “to dominate the extreme virtuosity of the writing with an astounding audacity and to captivate with the richness of a seemingly unlimited imagination” (Diapason, Avril 2021), offering a fresh perspective on works by Bach, Bartok, and Schneeberger.
Drawing from human and political contexts, Dmitry's programming and projects are thoughtfully curated. His upcoming collaboration with FHR delves into solo violin works by Eugene Ysaÿe and sheds light on lesser-known composers of the 20th century, bringing their works into the spotlight. His work with esteemed groups such as Il Pomo D'oro and Il Giardino Armonico has inspired him to embark on innovative projects such as M.A.D, ‘Trio Infernale’, ‘Blattspiel Quartet’ and ‘Hypocantus’, showcasing his versatility and passion for exploration.
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Anna Troxler, Principal 2nd violin
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Antonio Viñuales Pérez, Principal 2nd violin
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Nina Candik
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Valentina Giusti
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Regula Keller
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Elisabeth Kohler
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Carolina Mateos
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Eva Miribung
Contact
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Matthias Müller
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Regula Schär
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Regula Schwaar
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Mirjam Steymans-Brenner
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Fanny Tschanz
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Tamás Vásárhelyi
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Mathias Weibel
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Irmgard Zavelberg
Viola
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Mariana Doughty, Solo
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Katya Polin, Solo
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Carlos Vallés Garcia
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Anne-Françoise Guezingar
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Bodo Friedrich
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Stefano Mariani
Violoncello
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Christoph Dangel, Solo
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Martin Zeller, Solo
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Georg Dettweiler
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Hristo Kouzmanov
Double bass
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Stefan Preyer, Solo
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Peter Pudil, assistant Solo
Flute
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Isabelle Schnöller, Solo
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Matthias Ebner
Oboe
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Matthias Arter, Solo
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Francesco Capraro
Clarinet
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Markus Niederhauser, Solo
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Etele Dosa, assistant Solo
Bassoon
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Matthias Bühlmann, Solo
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Matteo Severi
Horn
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Olivier Darbellay, Solo
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Konstantin Timokhine, Solo
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Mark Gebhart
Trumpet
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Simon Lilly, Solo
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Christian Bruder
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Jan Wollmann
Percussion
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Alexander Wäber
Don Bosco Basel – our domicile
Since 2020, the Basel Chamber Orchestra has found a home in Basel with the Don Bosco.
In addition to rehearsals, CD recordings, small formats such as "Nachtklang", "Kostprobe", etc., and its own subscription series of four concerts take place there. The office has been moved there to allow close interaction with the musicians.
The former Roman Catholic Don Bosco church in Basel's Breitequartier will be converted into a rehearsal and concert centre from 2018-2020. A chapel in the basement has also been renovated and will continue to be used as a sacred space by the Heiliggeist parish.
