THE MUSIKKOLLEGIUM WINTERTHUR ORCHESTRA

The Musikkollegium Winterthur Orchestra, which was founded in 1875 and until recently went by the name Stadtorchester Winterthur, owes its existence to the Musikkollegium Winterthur ­ a private association of music lovers founded in the early seventeenth century. Werner Reinhart and Hermann Scherchen played a leading role in shaping the musical life of Winterthur between 1922 and 1950, whereby the emphasis was largely placed on contemporary music with numerous premiere performances. The Musikkollegium and its orchestra are committed to maintaining this tradition. Under the batons of its principal conductors Franz Welser-Möst (1987-1990), János Fürst (1990-1994) and Heinrich Schiff (1995-2001) the orchestra acquired a permanent and prominent place for itself in Swiss musical life. In 2003 the orchestra very successfully toured Germany with Heinz Holliger. Other permanent guest conductors/soloists are Vladimir Ashkenazy, Shlomo Mintz, András Schiff and Pinchas Zukerman.

The orchestra currently employs fifty full-time musicians. Jac van Steen has been its artistic director since the beginning of the 2002/03 season. The orchestra performs approximately sixty concerts in a season of which forty are in Winterthur as part of the Musikkollegium Winterthur concert series. Since 1994 the orchestra is engaged by the Opera House Zurich to play the first premiere of the season.