Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

In the artist's words:

The Gürzenich Orchestra, firmly rooted in Cologne but open to the world, stands for pioneering interpretations, innovative programs and diverse offerings beyond the concert hall. We are one of Germany's leading orchestras in both concert and opera - and have a tradition that has made music history like no other.

The orchestra was founded in 1827 by the Concert-Gesellschaft Köln, but its history can be traced back to medieval music-making in Cologne. We have been the orchestra of the city of Cologne since 1888 and delight more than 100,000 visitors in around 50 concerts per season in the Cologne Philharmonie. We also perform as the Cologne Opera Orchestra in around 160 performances each season.

François-Xavier Roth has been Gürzenich Kapellmeister and General Music Director of the City of Cologne since the 2015/16 season. Honorary conductors are Günter Wand (1946-1974) and Dmitrij Kitajenko. Andrés Orozco-Estrada will be the designated Gürzenich Kapellmeister and General Music Director of the City of Cologne from 2025/26.

We look back with pride on our great past: outstanding works of the Romantic repertoire by Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler were premiered with the Gürzenich Orchestra. Today, this legacy is an incentive for us and our conductors to build bridges to the music of the present day: here, too, we can point to an impressive list of important world premieres.

Around 150 top international musicians put their heart and soul into making us what we are: an orchestra at the highest level and with unlimited expressive possibilities. But we also leave the classical concert hall full of joy and without fear of contact in order to inspire people creatively in the midst of society. This is also part of our self-image. With performances in retirement homes and kindergartens, workshops, school concerts and offers such as the family ticket, we inspire a wide variety of target groups for music. Initiatives such as the Cologne Citizens' Orchestra and the Cologne Citizens' Choir invite people to actively participate. Of course, we are also active in the digital space with our GO Plus live streams, podcasts and videos. Multiple award-winning CDs allow the world to experience our uniqueness as cultural ambassadors for the city of Cologne.

From the 2023/24 season, we will be one of the three resident orchestras of the Concertgebouw Brugge alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest.

GÜRZENICH CONDUCTOR

• François-Xavier Roth (since 2015)
• Markus Stenz (2003-2014)
• James Conlon (1990-2002)
• Marek Janowski (1986-1990)
• Yuri Ahronovitch (1975-1986)
• Günter Wand (1946-1974)
• Eugen Papst (1936-1944)
• Hermann Abendroth (1915-1934)
• Fritz Steinbach (1903-1914)
• Franz Wüllner (1884-1902)
• Ferdinand Hiller (1849-1884)
• Heinrich Dorn (1843-1849)
• Conradin Kreutzer (1840-1842)