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The Mainzer Kammerorchester (Mainz Chamber Orchestra) had been founded in 1955 by Professor Dr. Günter Kehr, who was leading it until his death in 1989. The Orchestra members are mostly professional orchestra players, and some instrumental students. Depending on a project, between eight and 25 players are recruited from this pool. The orchestra toured the globe, especially during the first 30 years. About 40 to 50 concerts per year were given all over the world and 130 LP's and CD's were produced, including numerous broadcast recordings. The musical performance of Günter Kehr had a great influence and set standards for his period.
Feeling deeply obliged to this tradition, every musician within the orchestra was entrusted with challenging musical tasks, leading to the assemblage of many adepted soloists. Often, the interpretation of a piece is developed by the musicians themselves under the direction of a concertmaster. The musicians are generally not full-time members of a symphony orchestra, but rather members of chamber music associations. This allows the rehearsals being focused on working on specific chamber musically oriented problems under the directions of the concertmasters. In doing so, a special kind of colleagueship accrued that shows itself in spontaneous, joyful musical interplay. About 20 CD's recorded in the last few years testify the orchestra's exceptional standard. After Günter Kehr's death violinist Volker Müller, the vice president of the Peter Cornelius Conservatory, honorarily resumed the musical conductorship of the Mainzer Kammerorchester. Together with his wife, the flautist Renate Kehr, he preserves the artistic heritage of the orchestra and guides it towards new development. When Volker Müller retired in 2017, his wife Renate Kehr took over the leadership. |
