Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra USA Tour March 2020

Sat, Mar 14 - Thu, Mar 26  2020

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is organizing a USA tour in March 2020. In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers embarked on the Speedwell in Delfshaven, Rotterdam, to travel to America. They switched to the Mayflower in England, after which they continued their journey.  In light of the 400 year anniversary of this special historic moment, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will tour the United States.

Events:

March 14, 2020 8PM – Greenvale, NY, Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

March 15, 2020 3PM – New York City, NY, Lincoln Center

March 17, 2020  8PM – West Palm Beach, FL, Kravis Center

March 18, 2020 8PM – Miami, FL, Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

March 22, 2020 3PM – Berkeley, CA, Regents of the University of California at Berkeley

March 23, 2020 7.30PM – Palm Desert, CA, McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts

March 24, 2020 8PM – Costa Mesa, CA, Renee and Henry Segerstorm Concert Hall

March 25, 2020 8PM – Northridge, CA. Soraya Center for the Performing Arts

March 26, 2020 8PM- Santa Barbara, CA. The Granada, Community Arts Music Association

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra distinguishes itself with its intensely energetic performances, its acclaimed recordings and its innovative audience approach. Founded in 1918, it has claimed its own position among Europe’s most foremost orchestras.

Principal conductors
After the first pioneering years, the Rotterdam Philharmonic developed into one of the foremost orchestras of the Netherlands under Eduard Flipse, principal conductor from 1930. In the 1970s, under Jean Fournet and Edo de Waart, the orchestra gained international recognition. Valery Gergiev’s appointment heralded a new period of bloom, which continued with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and with Lahav Shani, principal conductor from 2018.

Concerts
Home of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is De Doelen Concert Hall, but the orchestra can frequently be heard in other locations – from the local venues to the most prestigious halls at home and abroad. Since 2010, the Rotterdam Philharmonic has been a resident orchestra of the Paris Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. With performances from the local venues to concert halls worldwide, educational performances and community projects, the orchestra reaches an annual audience of 150,000 to 200,000, among which a considerable amount of young people. In the 2019-2020 season, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will give concerts at leading venues and festivals in Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. An intercontinental tour to the United States is planned for March 2020.

Recordings
Since the groundbreaking Mahler recordings with Eduard Flipse in the 1950s, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra has made a large number of critically lauded recordings. At present the orchestra has contracts with Deutsche Grammophon and BIS Records; in recent years it also recorded for EMI and Virgin Classics. For the rereleasing of historical recordings, the orchestra formed its own label Rotterdam Philharmonic Vintage Recordings. Live streams of concerts can be seen regularly via the online platform Medici.tv.

Photos: © Guido Pijper

Photo: © Bob Bruyn

Lahav Shani

Lahav Shani is chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He assumed his position in September 2018, succeeding Yannick Nézet-Séguin and becoming the youngest Chief Conductor in the orchestra’s history. The 2019/20 season, his second as Chief Conductor, will comprise several major projects, including a USA-tour. In the 2020/21 season, Shani will succeed Zubin Mehta as Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; he will be the orchestra’s Music Director Designate from 2019/20. In the 2017/18 season, Shani became Principal Guest Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, following a number of appearances with the orchestra since his debut in May 2015, including a major European tour in January 2016. He also works regularly with the Berlin Staatskapelle, both at the Berlin Staatsoper and
also for symphonic concerts. Recent and upcoming highlights as a guest conductor include engagements with the Vienna Philharmonic, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Bamberger Symphoniker, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Shani was born in Tel Aviv in 1989 and started his piano studies aged six with Hannah Shalgi, continuing with Prof. Arie Vardi at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv. He went on to complete his studies in conducting with Prof. Christian Ehwald and piano with Prof. Fabio Bidini, both at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler Berlin. Whilst a student he was mentored by Daniel Barenboim. In 2013 he won First Prize in the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg. June 2016 saw Lahav Shani’s debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra as a conductor and as a piano soloist; his appointment as Chief Conductor from 2018 was announced two months later. As a pianist Shani made his solo recital debut at the Boulez Saal in Berlin in July 2018. He has play directed piano concerti with many orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Recent concerto engagements include appearances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Beethoven Triple Concerto with Renaud and Gautier Capuçon with the Israel Philharmonic. Shani also has considerable experience performing chamber music appearing recently at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Cologne Philharmonie and the Verbier Festival.

Lahav Shani for RPHO Photographer: Marco Borggreve