2000 years of orchestral experience
On April 19, the first concert of the newly founded
AHV-Philharmonie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in which also the
numerous retired SMV members were involved.
Bruno Schneider presented his new project to the public in the January/February 2022 issue of Schweizer Musikzeitung: The retired horn player from several large orchestras and professor at various music academies had noticed that although there are countless youth orchestras, there are no orchestras for older retired musicians. He had the idea of founding such an orchestra, not only to give retired colleagues the opportunity to perform, but also to give something back to society, which subsidizes the orchestras and educational institutions, through the concerts. The orchestra would of course perform free of charge and any profits would be donated to a charitable organization. Schneider's request to contact him if he was interested was met with a great response and he was able to immediately set about putting the idea of an AHV Philharmonic Orchestra into practice. Two projects were organized for 2024, a concert in the Salle de musique in La Chaux-de Fonds and one in the French Church in Bern (15 December 2024).
An orchestra with an unusual atmosphere
The two days of rehearsals and the concert in the snowy Neuchâtel Jura, where I played myself, were a very nice experience for everyone involved: an orchestra in which everyone participates voluntarily has a special atmosphere. You also get to meet colleagues with whom you may have played a long time ago in a music school orchestra, the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra, at music college or later in professional orchestras. What was also special was the fact that most of the orchestra members had practiced their profession for decades at a generally very high level, "2000 years of orchestral experience", as one colleague aptly remarked. The violinist Madeleine Carruzzo, until recently a member of the Berlin Philharmonic, was an outstanding concertmaster. It was a very good idea to entrust the musical direction to the young Mongolian conductor Nandingua Bayarbaatar, who trained in Geneva. Well prepared, she was able to benefit from the knowledge of the orchestra members and their benevolent criticism. She conducted the concert with confidence and charisma. The program included Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for winds KV 297, in which the soloists Roland Perrenoud (oboe), André Grillon (clarinet), Bruno Schneider (horn) and Stefan Buri (bassoon) were able to demonstrate their still remarkable virtuosity and musicality, and Dvořák's Symphony No. 8. The audience in the packed concert hall was thrilled by the AHV Philharmonic Orchestra, and Procap, an association for people with disabilities, was delighted to receive a considerable sum. Further projects are already planned for 2025.
