Information - General
The Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra Het Consort has gained praise and recognition for the carefully chosen and artistically played music during the fourteen years it has now existed. The ensemble has successfully taken part in several national and international contests and festivals, has played on the radio and gives concerts regularly. Besides combined concerts with foreign mandolin orchestras like the Langendorfer Mandolinenorchester from Germany (conducted by Eberhard Malitius) and the Tove Flensborg's Mandolinorkester from Denmark, Het Consort enjoyed participating in the jubilee concert of the Dutch mandolin orchestra 'Entre Nous' conducted by Henriëtte Gorthuis and played together with Het Amsterdam Mandoline Kamerorkest conducted by Carlo Malizia.
Highlights from the past few years are, among others, a tour in Sweden, winning the first prizes during the contest of the European Guitar Teachers Association (Dutch branch) in 1996 and 1997, and the concerts given for the Danish Mandolin Federation in Copenhagen in the spring of 1999.
Het Consort has played together with many soloists from The Netherlands as well as with soloists from foreign countries. Among them are the soprano Heleen Koele, the mandolin player Ralf Leenen, the guitar virtuoso Pavel Steidl, and the famous 'Duo Capriccioso'. Het Consort has received lessons from the Danish mandolin player Tove Flensborg, the German mandolin player Detlef Tewes, and the British mandolin player Barry Pratt.
A regional newspaper wrote about Het Consort: "Good combined playing, artistic devotion, well balanced and proportioned sound... the musicians play on a remarkably professional level". In 1998, foundation 'De Kunst' invited the orchestra, together with some other groups of musicians, to participate in a project called 'Tijd voor Nieuwe Muziek'. Het Consort holds this initiative dear because it corresponds to one of its own aims: to raise the composers interest for writing music for the combination of guitar and mandolin.
Last year, Annette Kruisbrink, a Dutch composer from Zwolle, wrote 'Gone with the Wind'. This composition was dedicated to Het Consort and was subsidised by Het Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst.
The well-known Belgium composer Marc Matthys has composed a commissioned and dedicated work for the Consort.
This composition had its premiere in November 2001 in Gent.
The Ensemble consists of sixteen enthusiastic musicians who represent the following groups of instruments:
Het Consort is conducted by Alex Timmerman.
Conductor
Alex Timmerman
We like to introduce to you our new CONSORT members and their place in the Orchestra: Ruth Rouw (mandolas), Pauline Ulderink (1st mandolines), Ferdinand Binnendijk (2nd mandolines) and Tom Edskes (guitars).
Ruth Rouw.
Pauline Ulderink.
Ferdinand Binnendijk.
Tom Edskes.
