SWDKO

A fresh and gripping musical approach and stylistic diversity from early to contemporary music are the distinctive mark of the Southwest German Chamber Orchestra based in Pforzheim. With a fixed base of fourteen musicians from seven countries the ensemble is one of the very few full-time chamber orchestras and recognized for its exceptional homogeneity and flexibility of the sound.

The Southwest German Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1950 by Friedrich Tilegant, a pupil of Paul Hindemith. The ensemble quickly gained international recognition and was heard at the festivals in Salzburg, Lucerne and Leipzig as well as on world-wide tours and on numerous recordings (Deutsche Grammophon, Vox, Erato, Telefunken, Intercord). Yehudi Menuhin, Maurice André, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Frans Brüggen and Henryk Szeryng were just some of the great musicians who have worked with the orchestra.

Following the Tilegant era the orchestra was directed by Paul Angerer, Vladislav Czarnecki, Sebastian Tewinkel and Timo Handschuh. With the start of the 2019-20 season the British conductor Douglas Bostock has assumed the position of Artistic Director.

The Southwest German Chamber Orchestra has made numerous radio broadcasts and more than 300 recordings, of which a number have been awarded international prizes. Currently the orchestra plays together with renowned soloists such as Nigel Kennedy, Mischa Maisky, Christian Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt, Yuri Bashmet, Lilya Zilberstein, Sergej Krylov, Hansjörg Schellenberger and Bernd Glemser.

It has been invited to perform in almost all European countries (Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Prague Autumn, Flanders Festival, EuroMediterraneo International Festival Rome, Vienna OsterKlang Festival, Auditorio Nacional Madrid, Tonhalle Zurich, Berlin, Munich and Cologne Philharmony, Sala Verdi Milan, Royal Concert Society Antwerp, Great Synagogue Budapest) as well as in the USA and Japan.