The Chamber Orchestra of Europe was founded in 1981 by young musicians who were part of the European Community Youth Orchestra (now EUYO). The COE now has about 60 members who are also principals or section leaders of nationally-based orchestras, eminent chamber musicians and tutors of music.
The COE’s identity was shaped by its partnerships with leading conductors and soloists. Claudio Abbado was an important mentor in the early years as well as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who had a major influence on the development of the COE. Today the Orchestra works closely with its Honorary Members Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Simon Rattle and Sir András Schiff (following in the footsteps of Bernard Haitink and Nikolaus Harnoncourt), and Sir Antonio Pappano and Robin Ticciati.
The COE has strong links with the major festivals and concert halls in Europe. The COE has been the first-ever orchestra-in-residence at the Kronberg Academy’s Casals Forum and also at the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt since 2022.
The COE works with all the major recording companies and, in over 40 years, has recorded over 250 works and won many international awards, including 3 Gramophone Record of the Year awards and 2 Grammys.
The COE created its Academy in 2009 and each year awards scholarships to talented postgraduate students and young professionals to study with the COE’s principal players when the Orchestra is on tour.
The COE is a private orchestra which receives invaluable financial support from particularly The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and a further number of Friends including Dasha Shenkman, Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement, the Rupert Hughes Will Trust, the Underwood Trust, the 35th Anniversary Friends and American Friends.
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