Philzuid today announced the extension of their collaboration with Chief Conductor Duncan Ward through the 2027/28 season. He took up the post in autumn of 2021, with his initial contract set to run until the orchestra’s 10th anniversary season in 2023/24. It was extended last April until the summer of 2026 with an option for further renewal.

Newly appointed Managing Director Mette Laugs said, “I am very happy that Philzuid and Duncan will continue their collaboration for a longer period. Duncan has the ambition to present magnificent repertoire at the highest level in the concert halls of Southern Netherlands and beyond. But his vision extends much further: he strives to inspire and engage a wide and diverse audience. He also wants to reach people who have not yet encountered classical music, and he sees it as his personal mission to play an active and unifying role in that."

Of the collaboration, Duncan said, “I feel the connection with the orchestra deepen from project to project, year to year, and this has resulted in many thrilling musical highlights. The flexibility, fire and finesse with which in 2024 alone they have embraced such diverse soundworlds as Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, Strauss’ Alpine Symphony or Jenny Peña Campo’s Cuban Suite (to be released on our forthcoming CD) is really exciting. With this growing mutual trust, understanding and passion for music making, I am looking forward to us climbing to even greater heights in the coming years, creating many memorable moments for our audiences of all ages and backgrounds, at home and abroad.”

Duncan went on to elaborate on his artistic process and programming. “It is my responsibility – in dialogue with the management, artistic programmer, and artistic committee – to develop and communicate an artistic vision. I suggest repertoire, but also propose leading international soloists and friends who I know will be inspiring for the orchestra. As the Philzuid’s reputation for quality and innovation grows, so do the potential opportunities for collaborations, so I’m very happy we now have some more years in which to schedule our ideas and dreams.”

Their performance last month of Bluebeard's Castle was celebrated by NRC, who said, "Where does conductor Duncan Ward get his magic potion? The complex music of Bartók flows from PhilZuid: strings with a beautiful, full sound, woodwinds with fantastic solos, royal brass…there is a confident unity that the south has had to wait for years for.”

This weekend sees the start of a two-week tour which sees Duncan and the orchestra join forces with Alice Sara Ott for the Dutch premiere of Bryce Dessner's Piano Concerto for the first half of the tour, followed by performances with violinist Alexandra Conunova in Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto. The concerts will also include Distorted Fantasia (after J.P. Sweelinck) by Joey Roukens and a double feature of Respighi’s Fontane di Roma and Feste Romane.