Kai Gleusteen - GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

The Chamber Orchestra of the ‘Gran Teatre del Liceu’ was created in 2003 under the direction of Kai Gleusteen, the concertmaster of the Liceu Opera House Orchestra. Gleusteen invited 15 of the finest musicians from the opera orchestra to participate in a project he had been planning for many years: the creation of a small ensemble, capable of preparing works in depth with as much time that is needed, willing to perform with soloists and without a conductor, and expandable in size facilitating performances of chamber symphonies and choral works.

Already in its first year of existence, the Liceu Chamber Orchestra received unanimous critical acclaim after concerts in Madrid and Barcelona. Their repertoire included the challenging Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge by Benjamin Britten, Les Illuminations with tenor and strings by the same composer, the Missa Brevis for chorus and strings by W.A. Mozart, and the wonderful Tchaikovsky Serenade.

Combining the devotion and the enthusiasm of its core members, the Liceu Chamber Orchestra plans to continue in the same vain as its first year by offering top-quality performances of often neglected works as well as the masterpieces of chamber orchestra repertoire. In short, to fulfill the words of a well-known critic after hearing their very first performance:
"an example of quality and serious preparation: a luxurious camerata."

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