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| Radio Filharmonisch Koor | |
|---|---|
| Name | Radio Filharmonisch Koor |
| Background | classical_ensemble |
| Origin | Hilversum, Netherlands |
| Genre | Choral music, Symphony choir, Oratorio |
| Years active | 1945–present |
| Label | Philips, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Pentatone, Challenge Records, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi |
| Associated acts | Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Het Muziekgebouw, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest |
Radio Filharmonisch Koor
The Radio Filharmonisch Koor is a professional Dutch choir based in Hilversum known for its symphonic, liturgical, and operatic repertoire and extensive recording history. Founded in the post‑war era, the ensemble has worked with leading conductors, orchestras, composers and recording labels across Europe and North America. Its activities include concert performances, radio broadcasts, studio sessions and international tours.
The choir was established in the aftermath of World War II alongside institutions such as AVRO, VARA, Hilversum broadcasting facilities and the Concertgebouw tradition. Early collaborations involved ensembles like the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and artists affiliated with De Nederlandse Opera and Dutch National Opera. The ensemble’s development paralleled cultural initiatives by bodies including NCRV, NOS, Dutch Ministry of Culture, and broadcasters such as VPRO and NPO. Over decades the choir partnered with record labels including Philips Records, EMI Classics, and Deutsche Grammophon while engaging composers from the Netherlands and abroad such as Bernard Haitink’s circle, Wim Zwaag, Louis Andriessen, Henk Badings, and later figures tied to Bergen International Festival and Aix-en-Provence Festival.
The ensemble’s repertoire spans baroque works by Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi to classical and romantic scores by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, and Richard Wagner. It has recorded 20th‑century and contemporary works by Igor Stravinsky, Benjamin Britten, Arvo Pärt, Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Dmitri Shostakovich, Alban Berg, Paul Hindemith, Carl Orff, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Dutch and contemporary repertoire includes works by Louis Andriessen, Hendrik Andriessen, Misha Mengelberg, Theo Loevendie, Nico Muhly, Erkki-Sven Tüür, and Kaija Saariaho. Recordings feature collaborations with labels Pentatone, Challenge Records, Sony Classical, and Warner Classics and include large-scale projects such as symphonies, requiems, masses, oratorios and staged operas by Gustav Mahler and Ludwig van Beethoven and choral cycles by Anton Bruckner. Notable recording projects involved conductors linked to Bernard Haitink, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mariss Jansons, Riccardo Chailly, and Sir Colin Davis.
Music directors, principal conductors and guest maestros associated with the choir include figures such as Bernard Haitink, Hans Vonk, Iván Fischer, Riccardo Chailly, Edo de Waart, Valery Gergiev, Mariss Jansons, Jaap van Zweden, Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Kurt Masur, Sir Colin Davis, Riccardo Muti, Sir Andrew Davis, Vladimir Jurowski, Daniel Barenboim, Gustavo Dudamel, Semyon Bychkov, Daniele Gatti, Andris Nelsons, François-Xavier Roth, Teodor Currentzis, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, and contemporary choral specialists linked to Magnus Lindberg and Peter Sellars productions. Artistic direction has also involved collaboration with conductors from Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
The choir’s regular partners include orchestras and institutions such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, Dutch National Opera, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Elbphilharmonie, and festivals like the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Salzburg Festival, Lucerne Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Bayreuth Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, and Donaueschingen Festival. Broadcast and recording partnerships include NPO Radio 4, BBC Radio 3, Radio France, Deutschlandradio Kultur, NDR Kultur, and streaming services operated by Deutsche Grammophon and Sony Classical.
International tours have taken the choir to venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Philharmonie de Paris, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wiener Musikverein, Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Colón, Sydney Opera House, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, and festivals including Salzburg Festival, Lucerne Festival, BBC Proms, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Landmark performances include major presentations of Beethoven symphonies, Mahler cycles, Britten operas, large‑scale choral works such as Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach Passions, and premieres of commissions at events like Holland Festival and collaborations with composers linked to ISCM World Music Days.
The choir operates within a Dutch institutional framework involving broadcasting organizations such as NPO, AVROTROS, Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, and funding bodies including the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Mondriaan Fund, VSBfonds, and European cultural programmes such as Creative Europe. Corporate and philanthropic partners have included Dutch foundations and patrons connected to Philips, ING Group, and international record labels like Deutsche Grammophon and EMI. Administrative and production collaborations extend to venues and organizations such as Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, and media partners BBC, ARTE, NHK, and RAI.
The choir’s recordings and performances have received accolades from institutions and awards including Gramophone Awards, ECHO Klassik, MIDEM Classical Awards, ICMA (International Classical Music Awards), Diapason d'Or, and national honors linked to the Dutch Music Prize and royal recognitions from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Collaborations have contributed to prizes awarded to conductors and orchestras such as Bernard Haitink and Riccardo Chailly at ceremonies hosted by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra affiliates and international festivals like Salzburg Festival and BBC Proms.
Category:Dutch choirs Category:Classical music groups in the Netherlands