Bocholt symphony orchestra celebrates its 70th anniversary
The collegium musicum Bocholt is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The symphony orchestra has been around since 1954 and is now an integral part of Bocholt's cultural landscape. Next Sunday, 24 November, the anniversary will be celebrated with a jubilee concert.
© Stadt Bocholt
The collegium musicum celebrates its 70th anniversary
The orchestra has been conducted by Annette Oehmen for more than 30 years. "A great advantage of amateur music-making is that you can do something together across generations", says the conductor. She sees the interaction between young and old in the orchestra as a "great gift".
"The collegium musicum is an impressive example of how the city of Bocholt lives and understands cultural diversity", says Bocholt's Head of Cultural Affairs Björn Volmering. The orchestra brings people together who share "their joy of music with all of us", says Volmering.
About the beginnings
Bocholt music teacher Karl Thöne founded the orchestra in 1954. "A group of enthusiastic musicians gathered around the music teacher", says Oehmen. Together, these "musical colleagues" founded the collegium musicum - initially as a pure string orchestra, the collegium has since grown into a symphony orchestra. According to Oehmen, it now consists of around 55 to 60 people and rehearsals take place once a week (outside of school holidays) at the Bocholt LernWerk.
The collegium musicum is an impressive example of how the city of Bocholt lives and understands cultural diversity.
Björn Volmering, Head of Cultural Affairs, City of Bocholt
Anniversary concert on 24 November
To celebrate its anniversary, the collegium musicum Bocholt invites you to the Christuskirche Bocholt on Sunday, 24 November 2024, from 6 pm. The programme includes the overture to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" as well as Roberto di Marino's Concerto for Bandoneon and Strings with soloist Jacob Niller (accordion) and Bedřich Smetana's well-known work "Die Moldau".
Tickets for the concert are available in advance for 8 euros, concessions for 4 euros. Admission at the box office is 10 euros, concessions 5 euros. Advance tickets are available from the theatre office at Volksbank Bocholt (Meckenemstraße 10), telephone 02871 12309.
Further information about the orchestra is available online at www.collegium-musicum-bocholt.de