{"id":343373,"date":"2026-11-14T14:51:59","date_gmt":"2026-11-14T13:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geneveinfos.ch\/2026\/11\/14\/alte-und-neue-welt-tobs-bienne-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-11-14T14:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-14T13:51:59","slug":"alte-und-neue-welt-tobs-bienne-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/geneveinfos.ch\/en\/2026\/11\/14\/alte-und-neue-welt-tobs-bienne-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Alte und Neue Welt (Old and New World) in Biel\/Bienne, 18 Nov. 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra gives its 3rd symphonic concert, Alte und Neue Welt (Old and New World), at the Palais des Congr\u00e8s in Biel\/Bienne. It takes place on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 7.30 pm, conducted by Tess Jackson.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The orchestra was founded in Biel\/Bienne in 1969 as the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019Orchestre Bienne. Its founders were Edi Benz and Jost Meier. Armin Jordan and Jost Meier shaped its early years. Today the ensemble has 44 permanent musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several conductors have led it, including Grzegorz Nowak, Thomas R\u00f6sner and Kaspar Zehnder. Yannis Pouspourikas has been its music director since 2022. The orchestra gives more than 40 concerts a season in Biel\/Bienne and Solothurn. It also plays in every TOBS opera production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The orchestra champions contemporary music, with many world and Swiss premieres. It has performed at the Tonhalle Zurich, the Stadtcasino Basel and the Grand Th\u00e9\u00e2tre de Gen\u00e8ve. It also records, including Beethoven\u2019s piano concertos under Kaspar Zehnder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Palais des Congr\u00e8s in Biel\/Bienne is one of the TOBS venues. Its hall seats 1,115 people. TOBS brings together opera, theatre, concerts and dance. It stages more than 300 events a season and welcomes about 70,000 visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who organises it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The concert is organised by Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn (TOBS), the bilingual performing arts house of Biel\/Bienne and Solothurn. TOBS describes itself as a cultural meeting place. It aims to bring together audiences of different languages, origins and generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to find<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The programme brings together four works. It opens with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor\u2019s Four Novelletten, Op. 52. These pieces blend European Romanticism with African influences. Robert Schumann\u2019s Fantasy in C major for violin and orchestra, Op. 131, follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The audience then hears Un Monde nouveau (A New World), a piece written by Camille P\u00e9pin in 2024. The evening ends with Mozart\u2019s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550. This symphony marks the shift from courtly classicism towards more personal expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tess Jackson conducts the orchestra. Daniel Kobyliansky plays the solo violin part. He is associate principal first violin of the orchestra. An introduction to the works is offered at 7 pm in the same venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practical information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n