(L-R) Sylvie Charmoy, OCL Director; Georges Santer, OCL Board President;
Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu
The Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg (OCL - Luxembourg Chamber Orchestra) presented its new season at a press conference held at the Grand Théâtre in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg on Thursday 24 April 2025.
Among the programme highlights is the OCL’s 50th anniversary concert, “50 ans d’accord(s)”, which is taking place at the Philharmonie in Luxembourg-Kirchberg on Thursday 15 May 2025 at 19:30. The OCL will perform classical music as well as a contemporary premiere, featuring the winner of the Anne and Françoise Groben Prize 2024, cellist Matis Grisó, as well as violinists Pascal Monlong and Lyonel Schmit. Carlo Rizzari will conduct the orchestra on this occasion.
The 90-minute concert (including intermission) will feature: Pablo de Sarasate’s Navarra; Robert Schumann’s Concerto pour violoncelle; Catherine Kontz’s Changes of State or What Might Become of Us (original creation, commissioned by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Ouverture; Sergueï Prokofiev’s Symphonie n° 1.
Tickets cost €35 (normal), €15 (under-27s) or €1.50 with a Kulturpass; free entry for children under twelve. For further details, visit https://ocl.lu/fr/evenement/50-ans-daccords
The OCL also presented a retrospective book retracing the history of the orchestra.
Other 2025-2026 highlights include:
Casser les murs at the Philharmonie on Tuesday 7 October 2025 at 19:30 (80 minutes + intermission). The performance, conducted by Mateusz Molęda, features cellist Johannes Moser. Programme: Wojciech Kilar’s Orawa (1986); Dmitri Chostakovitch’s Concerto pour violoncelle n° 1 en Mi bémol Majeur, opus 107 (1959) and Robert Schumann’s Symphonie n° 2 en Do Majeur, opus 61 (1846).
Chef meets Chef : étonnante nature at Cercle Cité on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 12:30 and at 19:30. Joolz Gale will conduct the orchestra, with Pascal Garbe as “maitre des jardins” (“master of the gardens”). Programme in development.
La Mélodie des champs at the Philharmonie on Sunday 16 November 2025 at 17:00 (65 minutes, no intermission; includes 20 minutes of moderated discussion). The performance, conducted by Mariano Chiacchiarini, features Pilar Policano on violin and Milla Trausch as narrator. Programme: Clara Schumann’s (arr. L. Garcia-Alarcon) Trois Fugues sur des thèmes de Bach (1845); Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending (1920); Ottorino Respihhi’s Gli Uccellli (1928).
Contretemps at the Philharmonie on Thursday 5 February 2026 at 19:30 (65 minutes + intermission). Bertie Baigent will conduct the orchestra for this performance. Programme: Thomas Ades’ Three studies from Couperin (2006); Maurice Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin (1919); Markus Brönnimann’s creation (2026), commissioned by the Ministry of Culture; Joseph Haydn’s Symphonie n°45 « Les Adieux » en fa# mineur, Hob. I: 45 (1772).
Chef meets Chef : cinéma at Cercle Cité on Friday 13 March 2026 at 12:30 and at 19:30. Bertie Baigent will conduct the orchestra, who are joined by a special guest (cinema expert). Programme in development.
Recréation du monde at the Philharmonie on Saturday 6 June 2026 at 19:30 (70 minutes + intermission). Pavel Baleff will conduct the orchestra, with Isobel Daws on trombone. Programme: Andreï Petrov’s Suite n° 3 de « La Création du monde » d’après les caricatures de Jean Effel (1970); Nino Rota’s Concerto pour trombone (1966); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Idomeneo, Musique de ballet (1781); Arthur Honegger’s Symphonie n° 4 « Deliciae basiliensis » (1946).
