The Grammy® Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has invigorated international audiences and critics alike with its superior artistry, energy, and distinctive approach to music-making. Orpheus is committed to illuminating both classic orchestral repertoire and new works by contemporary composers. Over its history, Orpheus has built a legacy through its acclaimed recordings, performances, and collaborations with the world’s most dynamic and esteemed soloists. In addition to extensive national and international touring, the orchestra presents an annual concert series at Carnegie Hall and appears regularly at major New York venues.
Orpheus’ 2008-2009 season continues its tradition of collaboration with today’s leading soloists and composers, including performances with pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Jonathan Biss, sitarist Anoushka Shankar, violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and mezzo-soprano Susan Graham. The orchestra also returns to Europe in February 2009 for an extensive tour with pianist Jonathan Biss. This season, the orchestra will premier commissioned works by Paul Moravec, Ravi Shankar, Melinda Wagner, and Ned Rorem. Mr. Moravec and Ms. Wagner’s works will mark the next installments of Orpheus’ The New Brandenburgs commissioning project, a four-year project begun in 2006, premiering six orchestral works modeled on J.S. Bach’s “Brandenburg†concerti.
The Orpheus recording legacy consists of over 70 albums, including the Grammy® Award-winning Shadow Dances: Stravinsky Miniatures. In 2007 Orpheus released a recording of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with Sarah Chang on EMI Classics. Their next album, with pianist Jonathan Biss, is set for release in the fall of 2008. Orpheus’ extensive catalog includes albums on the Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Decca, SONY Classical, and Nonesuch labels.
A self-governing organization, Orpheus was founded in 1972 by cellist Julian Fifer and a group of fellow musicians, who aspired to perform diverse orchestral repertoire using chamber music ensemble techniques. Today, Orpheus continues this philosophy, performing without a conductor and rotating musical leadership roles for each work.
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra website, www.orpheusnyc.org, provides information on the ensemble, the musicians, performances, and special events. The Orchestra also blogs at blog.orpheusnyc.org.
For more information on our performances, history, and discography, please visit us at
www.orpheusnyc.com
Be sure to check out our blog at
Orpheus in the Blogosphere
View photos from our recent tour at
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra's Flickr Site
Orpheus and Sarah Chang recorded and released the Four Seasons in October 2007 on EMI Classics