Aachen student orchestra
The Aachen Student Orchestra ( ASO ) is a symphony orchestra . It was founded in 1989 on the initiative of members of the Collegium Musicum of RWTH Aachen University and is now the largest student instrumental ensemble in the Aachen region . The orchestra has around 90 members, mainly students from Aachen universities, primarily from RWTH Aachen University . It has been conducted by Christian Ludwig since 2019 .
history
At the end of the 1980s, there was still little student culture in Aachen . The Collegium Musicum had existed for several decades, but was only occupied by chamber music and gave concerts once a year on the Sunday of the Dead . Frustrated by this situation, the wish for a romantic symphony orchestra was first formulated by Rolf Becher in 1988 and implemented in the spring of 1989. The first concert took place on February 3, 1990 in Aula 1 of RWTH Aachen University.
Wolfgang Spitz
The first chief conductor of the ASO was the pianist and conductor Wolfgang Spitz. The contact was established by founding member Marcus Menne through Volker Wangenheim . Three years later (1991) Wolfgang Spitz left Aachen, which is why he gave up the direction of the orchestra.
Roland Vossebrecker
Between 1991 and 2000 the composer and conductor Roland Vossebrecker took over the management of the ASO. Under his leadership, the orchestra's ambitions grew and great works such as Schumann's Third Symphony and Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem were performed for the first time .
Christian Schmitz
At the turn of the millennium Christian Schmitz took over the orchestra. As a trained church musician, he conducted it for over 12 years. In 2006, the Aachen student orchestra took part for the first time under the direction of Reiner Schuhenn at the Festival International de Musiquie Universitaire (FIMU) in Belfort , France, where it continues to perform to this day.
During this time the number of members rose to 75 musicians. Schmitz left the Rhineland in 2012 for professional reasons.
Reiner Schuhenn
The close contact between the Aachen student orchestra and the then rector of the Cologne University of Music and Dance (HfMT) Reiner Schuhenn, who established himself during the concert tours to Belfort, led Schuhenn to become chief conductor of the Aachen student orchestra himself in 2012. Under his direction, the orchestra grew to a level that can be compared to the professional orchestra. The musical portfolio was also expanded under Schuhenn's direction. For example, the Aachen student orchestra has added Philip Glass's contemporary 1st violin concerto to its repertoire for its 25th anniversary . Mahler's 1st Symphony Titan was also performed by the orchestra under Schuhenn's direction in 2016 .
Schuhenn, who is professor of choir and orchestral conducting at the HfMT Cologne, established a cooperation with the university during his time in the Aachen student orchestra, within the framework of which the ASO is available as an orchestra for the final exams of the students in this subject. In 2017, Schuhenn was appointed rector of the Mozarteum in Salzburg , a position which he ultimately did not take and was therefore able to conduct the Aachen student orchestra until 2018.
Herbert Goertz
When Schuhenn gave up the orchestra in 2018, Herbert Görtz , Rector of the Aachen University of Music at Cologne University of Music, took over the management of the ASO for one semester . During this time, the orchestra first accepted applications from conductors and chose Christian Ludwig as Schuhenn's successor. However, since Ludwig was unable to attend the regular rehearsals in the 2018/19 winter semester, Görtz took over the management of the now 90-piece orchestra for another semester.
Under Görtz's direction, the Aachen student orchestra performed Dvořák's Cello Concerto with the solo cellist of the Frankfurt Opera Sabine Krams as soloist, as well as Bruckner's 7th Symphony , to which the Rector of RWTH Aachen University Professor Ulrich Rüdiger commented: Such demanding works are rarely played by amateur orchestras and to have them presented here in this quality is something very special.
Christian Ludwig
Since the summer semester 2019, the OSA has been conducted by Christian Ludwig. He is known for his leadership of the Cologne Chamber Orchestra with numerous appearances in the Cologne Philharmonic , his work as chief conductor of the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra in South Korea and his performances at the Philadelphia and Seoul National Opera . As a former solo violinist , his training not only includes studying the violin in Cologne and London and chamber music with the Alban Berg Quartet , but also after the end of his solo career studying orchestral and choral conducting in Mannheim with Klaus Arp and at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Colin Davis and Colin Metters . Under his direction, the Aachen student orchestra will perform the 3rd Rhenish Symphony of Robert Schumann in the 2019 summer semester on the occasion of the 30th anniversary . With four performances (1991, 1997, 2003, 2019), this work is also the orchestra's most frequently performed piece.
organization
As a non-profit association, the orchestra is run on a voluntary basis by an annually elected board.
Since the members of a student orchestra often leave the orchestra after completing their studies when they leave the city, the board organizes auditions at the beginning of the semester to compensate for departures. New members are selected in the presence of the voting leaders and the board of directors. Candidates can apply online. Since the demand for seats is high, waiting lists are maintained for each instrument group, with musicians who will be invited to the next audition.
The city's student ensembles cooperate with one another in order to avoid scheduling conflicts or casting problems, among other things. For example, the instruments in the percussion are shared or, if some vocal groups in other ensembles are understaffed, candidates are often recommended by the waiting lists or active members help out.
The choice of the program played is democratic. During the season, each member can make suggestions for the coming season, these are then checked for playability by the conductor and section leaders and then put to the vote. Most of the programs are classical concert programs in the form of overture - solo concert - symphony and follow a motif such as theme, origin or style, but there are no rules for this.
Work phase
The orchestra's rehearsal work begins at the beginning of each semester. In addition to weekly rehearsals, the concert program is also worked out on several rehearsal days and a rehearsal weekend. In addition, register rehearsals take place regularly under the direction of lecturers from the Aachen Symphony Orchestra .
Towards the end of the lecture period, the orchestra holds two concerts.
Outside of regular operations, the OSA performs regularly at the Festival International de Musique Universitaire and the International Chorbiennale in Aachen.
Through the cooperation with the HfMT Cologne, the ASO makes itself available as an orchestra for the examinations of the conducting students Professor Reiner Schuhenns. These exams often take place as a concert in the hall of the HfMT Cologne.
reception
At the FIMU (German International Festival for University Music ) 2016, the Aachen student orchestra was selected as a favorite by the French television station France 3 in the classical music category.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Aachener Nachrichten: Aachen: Better through studies with music. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ^ Roland Vossebrecker conductor. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ^ Aachener Zeitung: Aachen: Student Orchestra: From Classical Baroque to Gustav Mahler. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ^ Salzburger Nachrichten: Conductor Schuhenn becomes rector of the Mozarteum University. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Conductor Reiner Schuhenn does not take office as Mozarteum Rector. July 11, 2017, accessed May 30, 2019 .
- ^ Musikarchiv - Aachener Studentenorchester eV: ASO. Retrieved June 1, 2019 .
- ^ Program booklet Aachen student orchestra for the concert summer semester 2019 - Greeting from the Rector
- ↑ Aachener Zeitung: Region: Aachen student orchestra celebrates its 25th anniversary. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ^ Concerts - Aachener Studentenorchester eV: ASO. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ↑ FIMU - nos 10 coups de coeur du festival. Retrieved June 1, 2019 (French).