Matthew Wilkie takes us through the evolution of the COE sound under Nikolaus Harnoncourt between 1989 and 2007. He talks about the immense challenges of playing the extreme dynamics always requested by Harnoncourt, and also the legendary metaphors he used to get his point across. Matthew also mentions which composers he particularly enjoyed working on with Nikolaus and why.

This episode focuses on what makes the Chamber Orchestra of Europe a genuinely European ensemble. Various players talk to Simon Mundy about how the diversity of nationalities and cultures within the COE has shaped it into what it is today.

In this second episode in our podcast series celebrating the COE's 40th anniversary, Simon Mundy interviews a number of former and current members of the COE about their incredible commitment to the Orchestra and to the music: leaving families and homes to connect with 'their second life' at the COE, performing concerts "as if their lives depended on it".

In the next three episodes of the COE's podcast, we celebrate the Orchestra's 40th anniversary since its launch concert in 1981. In this episode, Simon Mundy interviews James Judd, Dougie Boyd, Will Conway, Marieke Blankestijn, Enno Senft, Elizabeth Wexler, Peter and Victoria Readman and Richard Hosford about the very beginnings of the Orchestra.

In this episode, Simon Mundy talks with COE second oboe and cor anglais Rachel Frost and finds about the meeting of two souls, what differentiates the oboe, the cor anglais and the oboe d'amore and what happened to the COE winds in Peru.

In this episode, conductor Jaime Martin - former principal flute of the COE - talks to Simon Mundy about his COE experience: the thrill of being invited to play with the Orchestra for the first time, the conductors and soloists who have taught him the most, how he handed over to Clara Andrada (see episode 5) and why he decided to swap his flute for a baton. 

In this interview with husband and wife, Nick Eastop and Ulrika Jansson, Simon Mundy explores one of the COE's "romantic successes" and quizzes them on many topics including their instruments and which musicians have inspired them most over their COE years.

Simon Mundy interviews the COE's Spanish Principal Flute, Clara Andrada de la Calle, also Principal Flute of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. She talks about how she became a flautist, who her teachers were, how she came to the COE and what makes this Orchestra so special to her. Clara also talks about her musical activities beside the COE.

In the context of the recent release of our recording of the Schubert Symphonies, this is the second of a two-part documentary where Simon Mundy talks with COE players about their unique experience of working on and performing these Symphonies with Nikolaus Harnoncourt in Graz, in that extremely hot summer of 1988. The box-set is available on Amazon and on all the main online platforms.

In the context of the recent release of our recording of the Schubert Symphonies, this is the first of a two-part documentary where Simon Mundy talks with COE players about their unique experience of working on and performing these Symphonies with Nikolaus Harnoncourt in Graz, in that extremely hot summer of 1988. The box-set is available on Amazon and on all the main online platforms.