Orchestra

“The "Philharmonisches Kammerorchester Berlin" unites top instrumentalists of the musical city of Berlin. These young musicians do not only play excellently, they also show commitment.” (Berliner Zeitung)

Founded in 2002 by Russian conductor Michael Zukernik (emerging from Ensemble Europa and the Camerata Berlin) the Verein Berliner Kammerphilharmonie - later renamed in Philharmonisches Kammerorchester Berlin – provides financial and administrative support to the work of the orchestra.

The Philharmonisches Kammerorchester Berlin (PKB) is strongly concerned with the training of the artistic offspring: in autumn 2003 the first “international master class for orchestral conducting” held by the “Maestro of Maestros” Prof. Jorma Panula (Royal College of Music, Stockholm) turned out an overwhelming success. No less then 50 conductors of international origin were taking part. The final concert in the Philharmonie Berlin inspired professionals as well as the Berlin public. In these courses, participants have the opportunity to test their professional skills in conducting and benefit from professional experience of the orchestra and the instructor.

After this successful Masterclass in 2003, the PKB organizes annual national and internal Masterclasses on a high professional level. The PKB is working with renowed german orchestras and world-renowned conductors as a teacher like Jorma Panula, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Leif Segerstam, Otto-Werner Müller, Gustav Meier, Colin Metters, Kenneth Kiesler, Janos Fürst, Eri Klas, Mark Gorenstein, Michail Jurowski, Vladimir Ponkin. Students from all over the world are taking part at the Masterclasses. It takes place at different places in Europe, for example Moskau, St. Petersburg, Vilnius, Berlin, Leipzig, Göttingen, Jena and Cottbus. In May 2010, the next masterclass will be held by Kenneth Kiesler.

Together with the Björn-Schulz-Stiftung, the Philharmonisches Kammerorchester is supporting children and teenagers with cancer. Shortly after its foundation the orchestra initiated a beneficial concert in the Komische Oper Berlin. In November 2009 a large charity concert "Us and them - Symphonic Pink Floyd” by Roger Waters and David Gilmour with the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra was organized for the benefit of the Björn Schulz Stiftung in cooperation with NH Hoteles.

In recent years, the PKB organizes great concerts in the most well-known concert halls in Germany such as the Chamber Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin, Konzerthaus Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Beethovenhalle Bonn, the Robert-Schumann-Saal in Düsseldorf, the Glocke in Bremen, the Französische Friedrichkirche Berlin.

A large focus is on the work with professional artists such as Guy Braunstein, 1. concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, Michael Barenboim, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Victor Emanuel Montenton (piano), Kim Barbier (piano), Michael Sekler (violin), and Ramon Jaffé (violoncello). Especially the selection of specific dates to Advent and Christmas is an important factor for the PKB.

Also this year, 2010 there are many concerts such as the 9th Symphony on 28/11/2010 held at the Konzerthaus Berlin and at the Gewandhaus Leipzig, 03.10.2010.

For Michael Zukernik the main purpose of his work is continuity as well as the constant extent of the orchestra's achievements.