Annual report 2024: Development
Nurturing talent
Antwerp Youth Orchestra & Youth Orchestra Flanders
With the Antwerp Youth Orchestra (AJO) and Youth Orchestra Flanders (YOF), the orchestra offers the up-and-coming generation of young talents (up to 26 years old) the chance to gain orchestral experience in a professional setting. Both youth orchestras performed a full orchestra project in 2025:
Youth Orchestra Flanders
February 2025
L’Enfant et les sortilèges
Antwerps Jeugdorkest
May 2025
Beethovens Seventh Symphony o.l.v. Stijn Saveniers
Baron Swerts Academy
Symphony Orchestra Academy, an innovative initiative offering young, talented musicians the opportunity to gain valuable orchestral experience in a professional environment. Academists perform in a minimum of ten orchestral productions, receive coaching from orchestra musicians, and take part in individual lessons, workshops, and audition training. In 2025, nine young musicians participated: five academists during the 2024-2025 season and four in 2025-2026:
Giannis Antonopoulos, violin
Clara Pérez Campuzano, violin
Francisca Barata Feyo, viola
Andrei Mihai Jîjîie, double bass
Ana María Muñoz Koniarska, horn
Maite Mancisidor Vergara, violin
Rubén Fernández Manzanas, violin
Antía Balboa Doldán, double bass
Matías Munín Giadáns, percussion
In 2025, two alumni of the Baron Swerts Academy (Giannis Antonopoulos and Ana María Muñoz Koniarska) secured permanent positions in the orchestra through an open audition.
Talent development in the orchestra
An orchestra is more than the sum of its parts. That is why we encourage our musicians to step outside their familiar roles. Within the intimate setting of AMUZ, the musicians curated their own chamber music programmes this year. At the Queen Elisabeth Hall, they performed as soloists with their own ensemble: Peter Verhoyen performed a unique piccolo concerto on 25 May, and leader Lisanne Soeterbroek impressed on 5 October with Mendelssohn’s timeless violin concerto.
Masterclasses
Every year, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra welcomes numerous top musicians from across the globe. Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural edition in 2024, the orchestra organised a masterclass with violinist Benjamin Beilman in 2025. Students from the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp were given the unique opportunity to learn from a world-class artist, while many members of our audience seized the chance to experience a behind-the-scenes working session.
Broadening our audience
With innovative and accessible formats, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra invites young and diverse audiences to discover symphonic music in the Queen Elisabeth Hall.
The Clubconcert offers curious enthusiasts an accessible introduction to the energy of a symphonic orchestra. A well-known MC ensures a relaxed atmosphere and guides the audience through the evening. In 2025, this concert was hosted by comedian Bas Birker. Since 2024, this format has been actively supported and sponsored by BMW; this partnership was continued in 2025.
During the film concerts, the orchestra performs the soundtracks of iconic blockbusters live, creating an impressive symphonic experience. In 2025, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King drew no fewer than 6,643 film and music lovers to the Queen Elisabeth Hall. With this final film of the trilogy, we brought the series to a close.
The concert featuring music from video game soundtracks also succeeded in enchanting 1,296 music lovers with a symphonic performance.
The orchestra: recruitment
In 2025, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra organised eight auditions for new orchestral musicians, resulting in the recruitment of eight new colleagues.
Furthermore, five auditions were held for the Baron Swerts Academy, further underlining the orchestra's commitment to young talent and future musical potential. From these five auditions, four young musicians were selected to participate fully in various productions during the 2025-2026 season.
Also in 2025, we were proud to announce that a new Chief Conductor had been found. Following the departure of Elim Chan in 2024, the orchestra found the perfect partner in Marc Albrecht to further collaborate on its artistic development.
Another key position was also filled: Ulrike Niehoff takes on the role of Artistic Director in 2025. With an impressive track record at institutions such as the Wiener Symphoniker and the Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, she is dedicated to fostering engaging artistic growth and programming.