Freiburg-based chamber ensemble the Holst-Sinfonietta takes its name from the English composer Gustav Holst. It was founded in 1996 by its conductor Klaus Simon with players from South Germany, France and Switzerland.

An open-minded approach to repertoire has seen the group perform works by Mahler, Schoenberg, Berg, Holst, Britten, Martinů, Reich, Glass, Adams, Schwantner and Mackey, among others, with many works being given their German premieres.

Since it began, the ensemble has collaborated with the Opera Factory Freiburg, appearing on a series of broadcasts and recordings since 1999, including Vivier’s opera Kopernikus, which won a German Record Critics’ Award in 2016 and an International Classical Music Award in the opera category in 2017.

In 2018 the ensemble’s recording of Luke Bedford’s chamber opera Through His Teeth was nominated in two categories of the German Record Critics’ Awards and chosen by Crescendo Magazine as ‘CD of the Week’ and Die Deutsche Bühne as ‘CD of the Month’.

In 2021 the ensemble celebrated its 25th anniversary.

For more information, visit www.holst-sinfonietta.de.

Photo: Anke Nevermann