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| Groot Omroepkoor | |
|---|---|
| Name | Groot Omroepkoor |
| Origin | Hilversum, Netherlands |
| Genre | Choral music |
| Years active | 1922–present |
Groot Omroepkoor
Groot Omroepkoor is a professional Dutch choir based in Hilversum, with roots in the early 20th century broadcasting institutions of the Netherlands. The ensemble has collaborated with leading European orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and has performed in venues including Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Royal Albert Hall, and Wiener Musikverein. Its repertoire spans works by composers from Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven to Igor Stravinsky and Arvo Pärt, and it has participated in festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival and the Lucerne Festival.
Founded in the era of early Dutch radio broadcasting, the choir emerged amid institutions like AVRO and KRO. In the interwar period the ensemble worked with conductors affiliated with Radio France, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Deutsche Grammophon projects, and after World War II it collaborated with musicians connected to Willem Mengelberg and Bernard Haitink. During the Cold War the choir sang with visiting ensembles including the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and in the late 20th century it expanded under the influence of figures associated with Pierre Boulez, Herbert von Karajan, and Sir Colin Davis. In the 21st century it has joined tours alongside artists tied to Simon Rattle, Valery Gergiev, and Mariss Jansons.
The choir's concert programming has encompassed sacred works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Heinrich Schütz, major choral-symphonic works by Gustav Mahler and Antonín Dvořák, and contemporary pieces by Olivier Messiaen, György Ligeti, and Kaija Saariaho. It regularly performs oratorios such as Johannes Passion and St Matthew Passion associated with Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as large-scale works like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Verdi's Requiem. The ensemble has premiered commissions by composers linked to Louis Andriessen, Theo Loevendie, and Hendrik Andriessen, and has participated in staged productions with companies like Dutch National Opera and festivals including De Nederlandse Opera and Grachtenfestival. Collaborations have included conductors and directors from institutions such as Vienna State Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, and ensembles like Philharmonia Orchestra and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Administratively the choir has been part of broadcasting structures tied to broadcasters such as Nederlandse Publieke Omroep and organizations historically related to VARA, EO, and VPRO. Its institutional partners have included venues like Het Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, foundations such as Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, and cultural bodies like Nederlandse Christelijke Radio Vereniging. Funding and governance have involved entities connected to Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Netherlands), municipal authorities in Amsterdam and Hilversum, and European programs allied with Creative Europe. The choir's management has engaged with publishers and rights organizations such as Buma/Stemra and recorded projects for labels including Philips Records and Decca Records.
Across decades the ensemble has been led by conductors whose careers intersect with institutions like Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Concertgebouw Orchestra, and BBC Proms. Guest conductors have included artists from the circles of Riccardo Chailly, Claudio Abbado, Charles Dutoit, André Previn, Daniel Barenboim, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Kent Nagano. Choral collaborations extended to soloists linked with Elīna Garanča, Plácido Domingo, Anna Netrebko, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Joyce DiDonato. Artistic advisors and répétiteurs have come from conservatories such as Royal Conservatoire The Hague, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and international academies like Juilliard School and Royal Academy of Music.
The choir has an extensive discography with recordings of works by Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel, Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Anton Bruckner issued on labels associated with EMI Classics, Sony Classical, and Chandos Records. Broadcasts have been carried by networks including Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, BBC Radio 3, Deutschlandfunk, Radio France, and NPR Classical, and the ensemble has been featured on streaming platforms alongside archives connected to British Pathé and Europeana Collections. Notable recorded projects have involved conductors from Sir Simon Rattle's circle, collaborations with orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra and Munich Philharmonic, and film soundtrack contributions comparable to projects linked with Hans Zimmer and John Williams.
The choir has received accolades associated with institutions awarding honors like the Edison Award and recognition from cultural bodies such as Amsterdam Fund for the Arts and the European Cultural Foundation. Critical praise has appeared in publications linked to The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Die Zeit, and De Volkskrant. It has been shortlisted for prizes related to recordings judged by panels from Gramophone Awards and BBC Music Magazine Awards, and its members have been invited to collaborate on projects alongside artists honored with Nobel Prize-adjacent cultural distinctions and state decorations from governments including Netherlands and France.
Category:Dutch choirs Category:Musical groups established in 1922