Dutch Ballet Orchestra
Dutch Ballet Orchestra’s mission is ‘to inspire the movement in dance’. Since its inception in 1965, the orchestra has been the proud musical partner of Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. In every performance, the orchestra searches for inspiring synergy between music and dance, in order to give the audience a magical experience. Led by principal conductor Koen Kessels, Dutch Ballet Orchestra is the leading orchestra for dance in the Netherlands. The orchestra accompanies performances ranging from traditional ballet to modern dance, alongside its activities in music education and talent development.
Besides the performances with Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, Dutch Ballet Orchestra has a long tradition of innovative – and award-winning – family performances. For instance, Creatures (in collaboration with ISH) received the international Young Audiences Music Award, and the production Hansel and Gretel (in collaboration with Orkater) won various Musical Awards. In these productions, the musicians play from memory, without a conductor and in costumes, so that they form an integral part of the performance.
And finally, Dutch Ballet Orchestra has a long-term partnership with the Dutch National Ballet Academy. This involves the music curriculum for the pupils and students, student visits to orchestra rehearsals, and providing music for the academy’s end-of-year performance, where possible.