100 years OV Wiedikon: Old room, new conductors

That's what you call consistency: the Orchesterverein Wiedikon (OVW) has been rehearsing every Monday evening in the Bethaus in Zurich-Wiedikon for 100 years. It is the first and so far only rehearsal venue for the orchestra, which was founded in 1924. Even on Whit Monday - when the EOV representation was a guest at the rehearsal - there was no exception. Most of the 30 or so permanent members of the orchestra were present in the Bethaus and worked diligently on the pieces for the centenary concert under the direction of Francesco Cagnasso.

For its 100th birthday, the OV Wiedikon gave its audience and itself a symphonic program with pieces by Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns and Gounod. The normally all-string ensemble was expanded to include wind instruments. The renowned cellist and HKB professor Chiara Samatanga was recruited as a soloist. At the festive concert in Neumünster church in June, the OVW presented itself to its large audience with confidence, self-assurance and enthusiasm. "We had a lot of fun," confirmed orchestra president and violinist Annette Prieur after the concert. Led by concertmaster Flurina Sarott, who exuded calm and confidence, the orchestra quickly came together for Felix Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture.

Touching play by Samatanga, carefully accompanied

Chiara Samatanga's experienced but touching interpretation of Camille Saint-Saëns' cello concerto was carefully accompanied by the jubilant orchestra. And in the virtuoso First Symphony by Charles Gounod (1818-1893), the Wiediker finally really turned up the heat and showed all their skills, spurred on and held together by conductor Francesco Cagnasso.

Since August 2022, the OVW has been conducted by Cagnasso, who comes from Ticino and is currently studying for a Master's degree in orchestral conducting at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

It has been a specialty of the OVW since 2010 that it always recruits its conductors from Professor Johannes Schlaefli's conducting class at the ZHdK and then works with the young talents for a few years until they move on to pursue their careers. Before Cagnasso, the OVW was led for four years until 2022 by Holly Hyun Choe, then also assistant to Principal Conductor Paavo Järvi at the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich.

Arranged by conductor Christopher Morris Whiting

"The arrangement with the ZHdK students came about through the mediation of our conductor at the time, Christopher Morris Whiting," explains Annette Prieur. At the start of the new millennium, Whiting conducted the OVW for ten years and the orchestra was able to benefit technically and musically from his wealth of experience as first violinist in the Tonhalle Orchestra. "We made great progress during this time." Whiting, who is also a lecturer at the ZHdK, then began working with the conservatory as a kind of succession plan.

"So far, we've always been very lucky with our young conductors, who have always been very motivated to work with us," says Prieur. "Our repertoire has also expanded enormously as a result of these collaborations." For example, a work by a female composer has been performed at most concerts for several years now. The inclusion of female composers has become a matter close to her heart. The OVW recently started rehearsing again for its next concert on January 25, 2025 in the Bühlkirche in Zurich. The program includes the piano concerto by Venezuelan composer Teresa Carreno (1853-1917).

The next concert of the Orchesterverein Wiedikon will take place on January 25, 2025 together with organist Els Biesemans in the Bühlkirche in Zurich. The restored organ will be inaugurated. Works by Teresa Carreno and Francis Poulenc. www.orchesterwiedikon.ch