In March 2026, students from the Early Music Department of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague will spend a full week working side by side with the musicians of the world-famous Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. Under the direction of Richard Egarr, they will explore early Romantic repertoire — music from around 1826 — including Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 and Weber’s Oberon Overture.
The collaboration with Egarr offers students a unique learning experience. As a conductor, harpsichordist, and former artistic director of both the Academy of Ancient Music and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, he brings a wealth of expertise in historically informed performance practice, combined with an energetic and inspiring working style. His approach encourages young musicians to perform from both knowledge and imagination — not only with accuracy, but with conviction and freedom.
The programme also highlights the richness and diversity of early Romanticism. Alongside established masterpieces by Schubert and Weber, it includes the first movement of Emilie Mayer’s Symphony No. 1 — a powerful and original voice in a period when female composers were rarely given a platform. In this way, Side by Side 1826! offers both students and audiences a broader perspective on the musical legacy of the nineteenth century.
Programme:
- Weber – Oberon Ouverture (1826)
- Emilie Mayer – Symphony no. 1 (movement I) (1850)
- Schubert – Symphony no. 9 (1826)
Richard Egarr, conductor
This project is in collaboration with the students from the Art of Sound department.