Ricciotti is looking for new orchestra members for upcoming summer tour! Do you play the flute, oboe, clarinet, basson, trumpet, violin, viola, cello, double bass or percussion (no drums)? And do you want to perform music at special locations like asylum centres, nursing homes, (special) schools or on the streets? In JULY we have our FUTURA-TOUR. We're looking for new orchestra member who are available between 22nd of July and 6th of August (including rehearsals). Together with our soloist Soheil Shayesteh we will make a musical trip to the future full of Eastern and electronic influences!
More info on how you can do audition you can read here.
Deadline to send your video-audition is Sunday 26 June.
Photo: Wout Nooitgedagt

Ricciotti's Rainbowtour: it's a wrap! 30 performances in 6 days. Ricciotti's tourbus drove across the Netherlands to bring music everywhere and for everyone. We performed at new places and for us well known locations, outside and inside, for all ages to celebrate diversity in gender and sexulaity together with our stunning soloist Rikkert van Huisstede. We put focus on (queer) artists old and young, like famous composers Tsjaikovski and Saint-Saëns. Also artists like Price and writers like Annie M.G. Schmidt, who put gender and sexuality on the agenda, made an appearance. Luke Dean - a.k.a. his artist alter ego Lisa - wrote a new composition for this tour.. Photographer Wout Nooitgedagt - who makes Ricciotti photos for more than 10 years! - made beautiful pictures during this tour. Have a look at some highlights on the Rainbowtourpage. For more photos please visit our facebook page.

Vandaag, vrijdag 6 mei, komt ons langverwachte jubileumalbum "Durf te leven" uit! Met maar liefst 7 waanzinnige solisten met een mooie mix van achtergronden in klassieke muziek, latin, jazz-, pop- en wereldmuziek hebben we het album in vier succesvolle studio sessies opgenomen: Ellen ten Damme, Karsu, Henk Kraaijeveld, Ramón Valle, David Kweksilber, Tim Kliphuis en Karin Strobos. Want net als bij een Ricciotti-optreden hebben we ook op dit album geprobeerd zoveel mogelijk genres en cross-overs samen te brengen.

De tekst van Dirk Witte’s Mens, durf te leven is ons op het lijf geschreven. Met ‘een hart vol van warmte en liefde in de borst’ zoekt het Ricciotti zijn eigen weg in het muzieklandschap, wars van hoe het hoort, al meer dan 50 jaar. In 2021 vierden we ons jubileum met een videoclip van dit nummer, en nu laten we de levensles terugkomen als titel van het album. Meer informatie, luister- en bestellinkjes van het album vind je hier.

Yeah... finally: Ricciottis Rainbow Tour is coming your way! Starting Thursday 5 May till Tuesday 10 May we will go on tour through the whole of the Netherlands to play all the colours of the rainbow with our splashing solist Rikkert van Huisstede. In the Rainbow Tour the Ricciotti celebrates diversity in gender and sexuality. Nobody fits stereotypical categories perfectly, and that is how we like it! To be able to be who you are is extremely important. These social themes are of all times. The proof lies in the music, in which these subjects have been addressed for ages. Together with our soloist, life artist Rikkert van Huisstede - who confrontational but lovingly breaks apart the stereotypical boxes society created - we invite you to a journey of discovery. You are very welcome to this colourful tour! More info on this tour you can read here.

The Ricciotti orchestra celebrates it's 51-years anniversary this summer, hurray! The golden anniversary in 2020 will be celebrated – according to Ricciotti-tradition – a year later with the release of the brandnew video ‘Mensch, durf te leven!’ and a festive summertour.

Video Mensch, durf te leven
To kick off the anniversary we recorded a new video Mensch, durf te leven with singer Henk Kraaijeveld in a typical Ricciotti-arrangement. The new videoclip shows archive photos of 51 years Ricciotti history. “A present for all our fans who had to miss the Ricciotti for such a long time during covid time and a nice start for our Golden Anniversarytour”, explains Hannah Soepenberg. “We thought this is a fitting video now after life in the Netherlands is getting more freedom after the lockdown. Also the lyrics are truely Ricciotti style.”

Ricciotti’s Golden Anniversarytour
Between 11 and 21 August the Ricciotti will tour the whole of the Netherlands with their Golden Anniversarytour. Violin player and composer and old Ricciotti's concertmaster Tim Kliphuis will join them to celebrate this special occassion. Festive music and compositions that were written especially for the Ricciotti by Willem Breuker, Jurriaan Andriessen and Chiel Meijering in the past will be perfomed. Also new work from Tim Kliphuis, Leonard Evers and Micha Hamel. The first locations are announced and tickets can be reserved. More information see here.

The Ricciotti ensemble on tour in Cuba

In the fall of 2018, the Ricciotti ensemble was the first Dutch orchestra to tour Cuba to play 25 performances according to the motto: "live symphonic music, everywhere and for everyone".

Cameraman / editor Peter Bouwmans and TV maker Bas Westerweel beautifully portrayed the Cuban summer tour in the Netherlands and the autumn tour in Cuba.

During the 7 days in Cuba, the orchestra, led by Leonard Evers, gave 25 performances in the streets of Havana, Artemisa and Matanzas. Because the Ricciotti ensemble is an orchestra with a social mission, we not only performed in the streets and in the parks, but we also played a lot in schools, in social institutions, hospitals and cultural organizations. It was a very special adventure, full of wonderful musical encounters and cultural exchanges.

Special guest Ramón Valle
Special guest on this tour was the Cuba-born jazz pianist Ramón Valle, who currently lives in the Netherlands. The Ricciotti performed many of his own compositions, including Ricciottón, Johanna, Levitando and Cinco Hermanas.
More info about this tour on: https://www.ricciotti.nl/tournees/cubatour-ricciottiando-en-cuba

Ricciottiando and Cuba
Commissioned by Stichting Ricciotti ensemble
In collaboration with Knyfe Ealdormann
Camera and editing: Peter Bouwmans
Concept and story:
Bas Westerweel, Peter Bouwmans, Leonard Evers, Alexander Buskermolen

Thanks to all orchestra members:
Cátia Domingos, Floortje de la Fosse, Maud Busschers, Anse Kuyl, Dorus van den Boomen, Michelle van der Wal, Sander Borst, Pedro Goncalves, Adrián Vilaboa Martinez, Raf Cornelis, Jochem van Hoogdalem, Lindy Karreman, Abriel Feirrera, Julia Koenen, Hugo Santos, Agata Kruszewska, Reinaldo Ponce Alvarez, Stijn Brinkman, Mart Koek, Maxje de Wit, Nina Zuure, Leonoor van de Merwe, Saskia Peters, Sofie van der Pol, Linde van de Ven, Seringe Huisman, Chantal van den Engel, Cuun Koek, Douwe Nauta, Lotte Post, Rosa Verkerke, Annemarie Hensens, Hugo Bouma, Annelies Rijk, Hester Kronenberg, Marcos del Risco Pupo, Jan van der Plas, Dieuwke Smit Sibinga, Eva Schierbeek, Fransien Woltjer, Orrin van Leeuwen, Benjamin de Boer and Elroy Snoeren.
And tour managers: Rosa de Bruin and Mariana Hutchinson.