Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra

The Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra is an ensemble based in The Netherlands, made up of young professional musicians from all over the world, many of whom have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ensemble is not only the way to get these musicians back on stage as part of a new, vibrant orchestra, but does so in a way that constantly adapts to ever-changing government regulations. The ZCO is made up of a mixture of musicians, varying from soloists to chamber musicians to orchestral players. This kind of ensemble bridges the gap between all these types of music making, and brings the spotlight onto every individual musician, as well as the orchestra as a group. Although the entire project started with his music, naming our orchestra after Alexander von Zemlinsky is not necessarily a celebration of just one composer. Instead we see him as a symbol for all extraordinary, yet lesser-known and underrated music that we wish to share with the world. Instead of only playing the classics, the centre focus of our programmes is on this fresh repertoire (across all genres) and how it fits into modern society.