BIOGRAPHY OF AN ORCHESTRA
Artistic Director: Elizabeth Wallfisch
Executive Director: Albert-Jan Roelofs
General Manager: Felix Warnock
Chief Guest Conductor: Bruno Weil
Wallfisch Band is an unusual enterprise- a 'pedagogic' orchestra, using 'historical' instruments - embodying the ethic of 'master/apprentice' at the heart of its working practices- presenting outstanding 'youth' and exemplary 'age', on stage, making music as equals.
The orchestra provides a valuable and unique opportunity for gifted young players, from around the world, to work intensively alongside the 'Early Music' world's most prestigious international artists.
Wallfisch Band made its debut at the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music in London in a concert entitled ' à la Battalia', in June 2008. In 2009, the orchestra was privileged to perform with the legendary, and visionary Gustav Leonhardt as Conductor, at the Wigmore Hall, London, and at the Festival Klassiek in Den Haag.
The structure and working methods of the ensemble has the scope to present a template of a 'partnership/residency' with venues, conservatories, promoters and festivals.
This model was forged very successfully with Chamber
Music New Zealand, and the University of Auckland in the Spring of
2010, when young players from New Zealand and Australia worked with
'core' players, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Raquel Massadas-viola, Jaap ter
Linden-cello, and Albert-Jan Roelofs- harpsichord, in Auckland and
subsequently toured the country as guests of 'Chamber Music New Zealand'.
The following season, in the spring of 2011, saw five very different and ground-breaking programmes presented in the Netherlands, France and Germany.
Stravinsky is not a 'baroque' composer, however, Wallfisch Band performed the original score of Pulcinella on 'historical'-Parisian of the 1920s- instruments with our Chief Guest Conductor, Bruno Weil, in a programme with 18th century works by Unico van Wassenaar, and Pergolesi, again on instruments appropriate to the period.
Their season continued performing newly researched 17th and 18th century music in festivals in Ingolstadt, Potsdam, and Den Haag.
In continuance of the project to record all the Telemann concertos and suites for violin and orchestra, Elizabeth Wallfisch and Wallfisch Band have, so far, recorded 3 CDs of Suites, Overtures and Violin Concertos of Telemann for CPO, one of which has been released to date. Telemann, Wallfisch Band
The Future:
May 2012-Orchestra in Residence: Canberra International Music Festival, Australia
Canberra International Music Festival
July 2012- Masterclass: Monte Castello di Vibio, see page 7
Monte Castello di Vibio Masterclass
October 2102- Recital, soloists of Wallfisch Band- Leiden
October 2012- Deutsches Mozartfest: Augsburg, with Bruno Weil.
December 2012/January 2013- Bach at Kings Place
May 2013- CPO, Telemann recording
May 2013- Concert tour Germany, Duisburg
August 2013- Bach Festival Combrailles, France