Klassische Philharmonie Bonn
Klassische Philharmonie Bonn is a German touring symphony orchestra, based in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was founded by Heribert Beissel in 1986, derived from the Chur Cölnisches Orchester that he had founded in 1959 to perform music played originally at the Bonn court of the Electors of Cologne. Beissel conducted the orchestra until his death in 2021. They have regularly played a concert series Wiener Klassik at more than ten concert halls in Germany, and also toured in Europe, the U.S. and Japan.
History
Heribert Beissel, conductor at the Bonn Opera, founded an instrumental ensemble in 1959 in order to focus on music originally played at the court of the Electors of Cologne in Bonn. It was called Chur Cölnisches Orchester and Chur Cölnisches Solistenensemble. Expanding the group, he founded the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn in 1968. As of 2021, it has around 60 players. They often perform with the in works for choir and orchestra. From 1991 to 2001, the orchestra was sponsored by the Deutsche Telekom.After Beissel's death on 11 June 2021, concertmaster Ervis Gega, who played in the orchestra for 20 years, announced that she would continue, leading the group in his spirit.
''Wiener Klassik''
Beissel and the orchestra ran a series Wiener Klassik, focused on music from the classical period. Concerts have been played in the Bonn region as part of the Poppelsdorfer Schloßkonzerte festival at Schloss Poppelsdorf, the Redoute in Bad Godesberg and at the Beethovenhalle, including a traditional New Year's concert. Regular venues of the series also include:- in Stuttgart
- Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg
- Herkulessaal in Munich
- Kongresszentrum Karlsruhe
- Landesfunkhaus in Hanover
- Die Glocke in Bremen
- Rudolf-Oetker-Halle in Bielefeld
- Konzerthaus Berlin
- Laeiszhalle in Hamburg
- Kurhaus, Wiesbaden
- Kurhaus, Bad Neuenahr
On the occasion of Beissel's 80th birthday in 2013, they performed Haydn's Harmoniemesse in B-flat major and Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 at the Beethovenhalle.