Amsterdam Sinfonietta consists of 22 top-level musicians who play together as one. Led by artistic director Candida Thompson, the orchestra tours around the world with adventurous programs and crossovers with other music genres and art forms. With an enormous drive, Amsterdam Sinfonietta has developed into the leading string orchestra of the Netherlands and a world-class orchestra. In order to ensure the continuity of playing at the highest level, it is important that the orchestra’s knowledge and unique playing style are passed on to the next generation of musicians.

Over the past two seasons, Fonds 1999 has supported the talent development programs the orchestra offers through the Sinfonietta Academy to master students from the conservatories of Amsterdam and The Hague. The aim of the programs was to convey the unique, unconducted, playing approach of our orchestra to the participating students, and to pass it on to the new generation of top musicians. During both seasons, the young musicians were able to participate with the orchestra as full orchestra members and thus they got to know the practice and working methods of Amsterdam Sinfonietta from within. This has been a unique and special experience for the students and therefore an extremely valuable addition to their education at the conservatory.