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Jaap van Zweden reacts with affection for his hometown crowd after he and the CSO finish Mahler's Symphony No. 7.
Ahead of their second concert at the 2025 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam, Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians enjoyed some of the city’s many attractions. Some participated in a cruise along the city’s canals. Others visited the historic Kunsthandel P. de Boer home and gallery, which specializes in Dutch and Flemish Old Masters.
The CSO is the only North American orchestra invited to participate at the 2025 Mahler Festival, a 10-day tribute featuring all of the composer’s symphonies and songs, hosted by the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The CSO performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 on May 15, after the composer’s Sixth on the day before.
The CSO interpreted Mahler’s symphonies with profound emotional depth, precision and power, according to local press accounts, before eager audiences inside the Main Hall and outside at the Mahler Pavilion in the Vondelpark, where a livestream was projected to an overflow crowd.
The review for the NRC newspaper declared: “Drifting woodwinds, lightning-tight percussion. The brass is a dream, so radiant and sharp, and the entire string section forms a well-oiled machine with one big hyper-concentrated sound. The CSO is a beast of an orchestra with a mighty sound and Mahler in its blood.”
After Amsterdam, the CSO moves on to Germany, for concerts in Hamburg (May 17-18) and Dresden (May 19); Prague (May 20) in the Czech Republic, and Wrocław (May 22-23) in Poland, returning on May 24 to Chicago.
CSO musicians and guests board a vessel that's part of the Heineken Flagship Cruise fleet in Amsterdam.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO musicians and guests prepare to tour Amsterdam's historic Kunsthandel P. de Boer home and gallery.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
John Bruce Yeh, assistant principal clarinet, signs the guest registry at the de Boer home and gallery.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Klaus Mäkelä, CSO music director designate, greets Women's Board members (from left: Shelley Ochab, Judy Feldman, Betsy Berry and Leslie Burns) at a reception.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO violin Sando Shia pauses in front of a commemorative plaque, one of many lining the walls of the Concertgebouw.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Mark Ridenour, assistant principal trumpet, heads for the Concertgebouw's backstage area.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
During an afternoon rehearsal, Jaap van Zweden stops to greet bass trombone Charles Vernon.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Principal Clarinet Stephen Williamson (left) and Principal Bassoon Keith Buncke zoom into view during rehearsal.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
A technician monitors control panels during a rehearsal for the video livestream of the CSO's sold-out concert May 16.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO artists' assistant Pietro Fiumara (center) talks with Jaap van Zweden before the concert.
Baird Dodge, principal second violin, squeezes in some rehearsal time at an unlikely spot.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Michael Mulcahy, acting principal trombone, who's holding a tenor tuba, approaches the Concertgebouw stage. He doubles on tenor tuba in Mahler's Seventh.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Jaap van Zweden leads the CSO in the opening movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 7 at the Concertgebouw.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Trumpet John Hagstrom (left), Esteban Batallán, principal trumpet, and Michael Mulcahy, acting principal trombone, come into view.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
The CSO harp section on this tour consists of guest musician Emily Levin (center) and longtime CSO veteran Lynne Turner. At the far left: guest guitarist Steve Roberts.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Patrons at the outdoor livestream listen intently as the CSO and Jaap van Zweden perform the work's final momemts.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Vadim Karpinos plays the triangle, while guest percussion Ian Ding (top) and James Ross await their entrances.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Amsterdam's Het Concertgebouw, which opened in 1888, is famed for its extraordinary acoustics.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Principal Flute Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson takes a bow after the CSO concludes Mahler's Symphony No. 7.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Members of the CSO horn section take a group bow as the audience responds with a standing ovation.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Teng Li, principal viola, accepts a bouquet and congratulations from Maestro van Zweden.
CSO tour patrons flash thumbs-up signs after Mahler's Symphony No. 7 ends at the Concertgebouw.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
After the concert, violin Simon Michal gets a congratulatory kiss from Weijing Michal, his wife and a member of the CSO viola secttion.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
At an after-concert dinner, Jaap van Zweden greets CSOA President Jeff Alexander and wife, Keiko Alexander.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Principal Tuba Gene Pokorny blows out the candles on a birthday cupcake prepared specially for him.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
