Annual report 2024: Production

Symphonic Sounds

In 2024, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, led by its resident conductors, renowned guest conductors and together with top soloists, performed a range of highlights from the symphonic repertoire. Together with abdicating chief conductor Elim Chan, the orchestra worked on the monumental symphonies of Gustav Mahler (22, 23 & 24 March) and Johannes Brahms (24 & 25 May).  

Conductor emeritus Jaap van Zweden led the orchestra twice in the major symphonic repertoire, Bruckner's Seventh and Rachmaninov's Second Symphony were on the programme in Brussels (16 May), Antwerp (17 May and 30 November), Bruges (18 May) and Heerlen (1 December). Honorary conductor Philippe Herreweghe also conducted the orchestra in 2024, performing Beethoven's Third Symphony (12 January), Brahms' Second Symphony (7 and 9 March) and Mozart's Requiem in autumn in Antwerp (10 October), Ghent (11 October) and Bruges (12 October).

Flemish heritage

As a Flemish symphony orchestra and a recognised Arts Institution of the Flemish Community, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra is a proud ambassador of Flemish music. Through recordings, concerts and composition commissions with Flemish composers, the orchestra actively contributes to the preservation, enrichment and accessibility of our valuable musical heritage.

In its 2024 concerts, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra performed a mix of musical heritage and contemporary creations, with works by Jacqueline Fontyn, Flor Alpaerts and August De Boeck, among others. August De Boeck's Dahomean rhapsody was taken on tour to Slovenia, Austria and Germany in November as a calling card of Flemish musical heritage. A theatre concert based on Pelléas et Mélisande by Ghent-born Nobel laureate Maurice Maeterlinck was brought on stage in June.

In autumn, Antwerp celebrated Ensor Year, with a special focus on the iconic painter's works, most of which can be admired at KMSKA. In collaboration with the museum dome, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra musically brought James Ensor's art to life at the special Ensor concert, preceded by a musical introduction with curator Herwig Todts and pianist Jan Michiels. The concert was broadcast live on Klara.

Contemporary Repertoire

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra keeps classical music alive in the broadest sense of the word. We not only honour the great masterpieces of the past, but we are also a driving force behind new compositions. In this way, we enrich the orchestral repertoire and provide talented composers a platform to share their creations with the world.

In 2024, the orchestra brought six contemporary compositions to Belgium for the first time: Uzu by Toshio Hosokawa (February 9), Three Latin American Dances by Gabriela Lena Frank (February 24), All These Lighted Things (Three Little Dances for Orchestra) by Elizabeth Ogonek (March 22), the Schumann-Fantasy by Hans Zender (April 19), Lumina by Nina Shekhar (May 16), and Anka Kuşu by Fazıl Say (September 27).

Baroque music

After years of hosting the Christmas concert at the Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk in Antwerp, this year the orchestra opted for a Christmas gala at its residence. This change allowed us to welcome 56% more visitors compared to the Christmas concerts in 2023, and let them enjoy baroque masterpieces by Handel, Bach and Haydn, among others, in the magnificent acoustics and comfort of the Queen Elisabeth Hall. In addition, Bach's St Matthew Passion sounded again in 2024 (16 March), and Bejun Mehta conducted and sang a programme full of highlights from baroque opera (27 April).

Flemish cultural ambassador

As a recognised Flemish Arts Institution, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra plays the most important venues in Flanders, and also serves as a Flemish cultural ambassador abroad.

On tour through central Europe

In November, the orchestra went on tour through Slovenia, Austria and Germany. In the process, it appeared in major concert halls in Ljubljana, Salzburg, Munich and Bregenz. There, the orchestra was led by conductor Shiyeon Sung and was in the good company of top soloists Bomsori Kim and Mariam Batsashvili.

• Mon 11 November Gallus Hall, Ljubljana
• Wed 13 November Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg
• Thu 14 November Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg
• Fri 15 November Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg
• Sat 16 November Herkulessaal, Munich
• Sun 17 November Festspielhaus, Bregenz

Dramaturgy

Each season, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra develops a purposeful programming around a seasonal theme. In 2023-2024, it was ‘Vocation’ and the season was dominated by the multi-talented characters that can be found everywhere at Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Conductor emeritus Jaap van Zweden began his career as a celebrated violin soloist. And honorary conductor Philippe Herreweghe once graduated as a psychiatrist. Similarly, the three focus artists (Nicolas Namoradze, Gabriela Montero and Jeremy Denk), who have been central to our seasonal programme each trimester, are each sound examples of this in their own way, as each of them combines artistic expressions across disciplines.

Season 2024-2025 was titled ’About Life‘. During this season, we reflect on the power of musical legacy and the connection between beginnings and endings. Composers such as Beethoven, Mahler and Rachmaninov live on in their works, continuing to touch and inspire us. This season, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra explores how music tells stories about composers' lives and how their legacy is passed on. From first to last compositions, from unfinished masterpieces to new interpretations: we discover how music not only survives, but also acquires meaning through generations. With performances of first and last symphonies, a symposium on musical ‘legacy’ and a look at cyclical and post-minimalist compositions, we connect tradition and future.

Collaborations

Throughout the year, Antwerp Symphony collaborates with various artistic partners. Antwerp Symphony is the guardian of the total range of classical programming in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and in 2024 produced and presented a concert series with top international orchestras in collaboration with Cofena vzw. This allowed the orchestra to fill the Queen Elisabeth Hall stage 58 times in 2024 with top-quality classical programming.

For the KID concert De Fladdermuis (28 January), 2024 collaborated with the theatre company LAZARUS.

With Collegium Vocale Gent, at least one joint production is performed each season. In 2024, Mozart's impressive Requiem was performed for three sold-out venues in Flanders. For other productions with choir, we collaborate with Flemish and international professional and semi-professional choirs, such as the Flemish Radio Choir, the Dresdner Kammerchor, the Octopus Symphonic Choir or the Waelrant Kinderkoor+.

The youth orchestra cooperation and in particular the Youth Orchestra Flanders is a collaborative project with Brussels Philharmonic, Opera Ballet Flanders and Antwerp Symphony, supported by De Singel, Flagey, Concertgebouw Brugge, Muziekcentrum De Bijloke and the conservatories of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven. In addition, Antwerp Symphony oversaw one project in 2024 with the Antwerp Youth Orchestra (10 March), in its own Queen Elisabeth Hall, for which there is intensive cooperation with the Antwerp colleges and university.

In terms of research and opening up Flemish musical heritage, Antwerp Symphony works structurally with the Study Centre for Flemish Music. For contemporary Flemish repertoire, Antwerp Symphony collaborates with Matrix [Centre for New Music].