| Biography | The Mahler Chamber Orchestra is a professional touring chamber orchestra founded by Claudio Abbado and former members of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra in 1997.
The MCO appears throughout the year in about 60-70 concerts and performances. It consists of 60 musicians from 17 different nations. Its activities include concerts, opera projects, chamber music as well as CD recordings. Strong artistic links have been established with Daniel Harding (principal guest conductor 1998-2003, music director since September 2003) and Claudio Abbado. The MCO has stable residencies in Ferrara (Ferrara Musica, honorary president: Claudio Abbado), Aix-en-Provence (Festival international d'art lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence), Toblach (Gustav Mahler Musikwochen), Lucerne (Lucerne Festival), Salzburg (Mozartwochen) and Landshut.
The MCO's repertoire reaches from baroque to contemporary music. The MCO is a free financed orchestra without any state support. Friends and sponsors are needed to maintain the artistic life of the orchestra. |