Porträt Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

»For me, the sound of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra can be summed up in one word: gold,« says young Aurel Dawidiuk, Associate Conductor of the Amsterdam-based orchestra. In the 2025/2026 season, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be the Kölner Philharmonie's portrait orchestra. 

A diverse repertoire, like a calling card for the orchestra, can be heard. The musicians will play under the baton of their future chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä, but will also perform in various formations. The orchestra's sound culture will always be evident. »Our sound is like an antique cabinet; you can hear the history, you can see the annual rings, so to speak,« says Henriette Luytjes, first violinist. 

»We pass this history on to the young colleagues who join us.« General Director Dominik Winterling: »An English newspaper once compared the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to a Rolls-Royce: a little old-fashioned in sound, but in the finest way, like something from another era that is very precious.«