ORCHESTRE ROYAL DE CHAMBRE DE WALLONIE (O.R.C.W.)
Founded in 1958 by Lola Bobesco, “Les Solistes de Bruxelles” (The Soloists of Brussels) changed after its name to “Ensemble d’archets Eugène Ysaÿe” (Eugène Ysaÿe bow orchestra). This group grew to become the current Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie (O.R.C.W.).
The orchestra has given concerts with the greatest performers such as José Van Dam, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Aldo Ciccolini, Mischa Maïski, Maurice André, Arthur Grumiaux, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Paul Tortelier, Philippe Hirschhorn, Georges Octors, Janos Starker, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Michel Béroff, Guidon Kremer, Augustin Dumay, Louis Lortie, Paul Goodwin, Pavel Gomziakov, Jian Wang, Ivry Gitlis, Tatjana Vassiljeva, Antoine Tamestit, Simone Kermes, Maria João Pires, Frank Braley…
Since 2003, it has benefitted from the dynamism and international position of its Musical Director, Augustin Dumay, who will be Principal Guest Conductor in 2014 and 2015. Under his direction, the orchestra has been regularly invited to important festivals and centres: the Festivals of Radio France-Montpellier, Menton, La Roque d’Anthéron, Beijing, Abu Dhabi, Bucharest, Turin, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Fondation Gianadda (Martigny, Switzerland), the Auditorium de Lyon, the “Flâneries musicales” in Reims, the “Grands Interprètes” in Toulouse, etc…
During these two years, Augustin Dumay and Frank Braley, long-time partners, will be finalising major projects all together called Mons 2015. It is a unique opportunity for the city of Mons to prepare itself to take on the role of European Capital of Culture.
Under the direction of its first violin, Jean-François Chamberlan, the O.R.C.W. performs regularly in Belgiumand particularly at the French Community of Belgium.
In the near future, the O.R.C.W. :
- will be performing with Augustin Dumay in various cities in Belgium, at the Bozar Center for fine Arts, at Flagey, at the Festival of Wallonia, at the Flanders Festival, at the Summer festival of the Meuse, at the Musicales de Beloeil…
- will take part with Augustin Dumay to the Fêtes Musicales en Touraine at the Grange de Meslay (France), to the Festivals de La Roque d’Anthéron (France)…
- has scheduled various performances of the adaptation of Bizet’s opera “Carmen” by David Walter (produced by the “Concerts de Poche”, France) in France and in Belgium;
- will be perfoming Josse De Pauw and Jan Kuijken’s work “De gehangenen” in Ghent and in Portugal (Lisbon) (Contemporary musical theatre produced by LOD Production, Ghent).
In Belgium, the O.R.C.W. is regularly associated with the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium, theQueen Elisabeth Music Chapel, the Bozar Center for fine Arts, Flagey, the Festival of Wallonia (Hainaut, Stavelot, Walloon Brabant,…), the Flanders Festival, and with various music festivals (Silly, the Abbey of Aulne, Lasnes, Modave Castle, Château de La Folie, Mont-sur-Marchienne, Musicales de Beloeil…). The O.R.C.W. performs also in various cities (Charleroi, Namur, Liège, Binche, Louvain-La-Neuve, Turnhout, Hasselt, Knokke, Ypres, Antwerp,…), and in other venues such as cultural centres,…
In Mons, its city of residence, together with the Manège.Mons, the O.R.C.W. presents a chamber musiccycle called “Mons et Merveilles” (Mons and wonders). Together with the city of Mons, it also organises“Exceptional Concerts” at the Royal Theater of Mons, and proposes a diversified and uncommonrepertoire and showcases young artists in the cycle called “Mons-Découvertes” (Mons-Discoveries).
The O.R.C.W. developed a close association with the Province of Hainaut and ARTS2 (Royal Conservatory of Mons) to produce “First scenes” concerts during which young conservatory talents and soloists of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel are accompanied by musicians of the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie.