About de Ontzetting

De Ontzetting was founded in 1985. It originated from a group of friends of the former National Agricultural College in Wageningen. These students were playing a variety of instruments, which did not fit into the existing orchestras. By making music together, De Ontzetting was born. Although the orchestra then started small, it grew into a complete concert band. This is partly due to the conductor Jean-Pierre Gabriël, who conducts the orchestra with great enthusiasm, already since 2002.

De Ontzetting is an orchestra that is almost completely renewed each five years. This is because every year students come and graduate. It is a special characteristic that keeps the orchestra enthusiastic, dynamic and young. In addition, our band is an international and culturally diverse organization with musicians from different countries, such as Germany, France, China and Spain. At this moment, De Ontzetting has about 65 members, mostly students.

De Ontzetting gives various performances in Wageningen. The orchestra gives a concert in theater Junushoff twice a year. Each year De Ontzetting gives a concert on the big festival on Liberation Day and also during the Annual Introduction Days (AID) of the Wageningen University. An ensemble of De Ontzetting also provides the music at activities in the municipality of Wageningen on Kings Day. In 2013, De Ontzetting participated in the festivities surrounding the 750th anniversary of the city of Wageningen with concerts of the orchestra and different ensembles. In 2015 De Ontzetting gave a concert at the Belmondo Festival at Arboretum in Wageningen. This is a cultural festival that takes place only once in two years. At the Belmono Festival a lot of different cultural association are involved, also international students are invloved in this festival.

Each year, De Ontzetting gives a concert in De Efteling. A successful concert in collaboration with the Dordrecht Philharmonic Orchestra was given in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam in November of 2013. In November of 2015 De Ontzetting gave a concert within the HRFSTWND concert series, together with Andels Fanfare Corps.

Every two years, the orchestra goes on tour abroad. Such a concert tour takes the band to a higher level. It is also a chance to taste the musical traditions and developments of other countries. Previous concert tours went to Hungary, Germany, China and Spain.

In addition to the concerts and rehearsals, various committees organize movie nights, barbecues, dinners and galas to strengthen the social cohesion between the members of the band. The combination of making music at a good level and the pleasant social aspect make De Ontzetting a unique orchestra.