The Basel Chamber Orchestra, founded 1984, is an integral part of the Basel music scene – with its two subscription series in the Stadtcasino Basel as well as in Don Bosco Basel. With world tours and more than 70 concerts per season, the Basel Chamber Orchestra is a popular guest at international festivals and in Europe’s most important concert halls.
As a specialist ensemble with a focus on Viennese Classical music, the Basel Chamber Orchestra was honored in 2019 as the first orchestra to receive the Swiss Music Prize. The spirit of exploration drives the musicians to follow the path of historically informed performance, creating a unique Basel Chamber Orchestra sound that blends various styles and directions, resulting in a versatile and distinctive character. The programs reflect the openness and stylistic curiosity of the musicians, from early music on historical instruments to historically informed interpretations and contemporary music. Educational work has been the centerpiece of the musical work for many years.
The many years of concentration in musical worlds such as the Haydn2032 project, the recording and performance of all symphonies by Joseph Haydn up to 2032 under the direction of Giovanni Antonini and together with the ensemble Il Giardino Armonico, or the “Schubert Cycle” with Heinz Holliger show the persistence and pleasure in the intensive examination of a composer’s music.
The Basel Chamber Orchestra frequently collaborates with selected soloists such as Hélène Grimaud, Regula Mühlemann, Vilde Frang, Bertrand Chamayou and Sebastian Bohren also under the artistic direction of the first violins and the baton of selected conductors such as Delyana Lazarova, Izabelė Jankauskaitė, René Jacobs oder Marc Minkowski.
The creative work of the Basel Chamber Orchestra is documented by an extensive and award-winning discography. The Clariant Foundation has been the presenting sponsor of the Basel Chamber Orchestra since 2019.
