Souvenir de Florence — Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Michael Waterman, Director/Concertino

The Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra (CCO), founded in 1987, consists of members of the world-renowned Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. For decades, the ensemble has performed worldwide with distinguished soloists and conductors. In recent years, the CCO has collaborated with national and international artists such as Fazil Say, Kit Armstrong, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Liza Ferschtman, Nicolas Altstaedt, Ronald Brautigam, Marietta Petkova, Stefan Vladar, Harriet Krijgh, Amihai Grosz, and Noa Wildschut. Selected quotes from reviews:

"Refined sound... a brilliant evening... virtuosity and expressive delight... hushed bravo whispers for the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra... Kit Armstrong and the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra performed at the highest level."

Each season, the CCO is invited to perform in major concert halls across the Netherlands, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Tivoli/Vredenburg in Utrecht, De Doelen in Rotterdam, and Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam.

Thanks to growing international interest, recent tours have included concerts in Spain, Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey, Portugal, India, South America, and Russia. In 2016, their tour of Germany with violinist Liza Ferschtman received excellent reviews. More recently, they performed in Germany with Fazil Say (February 2024), in Turkey and Germany/Switzerland with Daniel Müller-Schott (October 2024), and in February 2025 will travel again to Germany with Ray Chen. In summer 2025, they will tour South America with Antje Weithaas (7–8 concerts), and in December will perform at the Kölner Philharmonie with Elisabeth Leonskaja.

Many musicians approach the orchestra for personal recording projects, such as pianist Ben Kim (complete Mozart piano concertos), violinist Niek Baar, and violinist Alex Kerr (works by Jonathan Leshnoff).

MICHAEL WATERMAN – Director/Concertino

Violinist Michael Waterman represents the fifth consecutive generation of violinists from the Waterman family to be part of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra. His grandfather, Frits Waterman, was a member from 1950 to 1970; subsequently, his uncle Frits Joël Waterman, mother Cleora Waterman, and father Robert Waterman joined.

Michael began violin studies with his father, then continued with Peter de Leeuw at the Amstelveen Music School. From 2000 to 2006, he studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory, first with Lex Korff de Gidts and later with Alexander Kerr, who served as concertmaster of the Concertgebouw Orchestra from 1996 to 2006. From 2006 to 2008, he furthered his training at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University (USA), continuing his studies with Kerr.

Michael Waterman joined the first violin section of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 2010. Two years later, in 2012, he was appointed artistic director and manager of the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra—a role he continues to hold today.