The conservatories of Cologne/Aachen, Maastricht, and Liège are joining forces for a remarkable collaboration. This ambitious initiative will begin with a large-scale performance of Mahler’s 6th Symphony.
The rectors or heads of programmes from the three conservatories—Kathleen Coessens (Domaine de la Musique Liège), Prof. Tilmann Claus (University of Music Cologne/Aachen), Rinze Krijgsman (Conservatorium Maastricht), and Prof. Timo Handschuh (University of Music Aachen)—formalised this cross-border partnership on January 28. Their goal: to realise major symphonic projects that would not be feasible for a single conservatory alone.
At the end of this calendar year, concerts featuring Mahler’s 6th Symphony will take place in Maastricht, Aachen, and Liège. This technically and artistically demanding masterpiece requires an orchestra of 120 musicians. Prof. Tilmann Claus highlights how quickly the initiative took shape and questions why such a collaboration had not been established earlier, given the short distances between the three cities. He sees great potential for future cross-border projects.
Beyond artistic benefits, the initiators emphasise the broader social significance of this collaboration, as it fosters cultural exchange. For students, this is a unique opportunity to perform large-scale works under the direction of different conductors, engage in international cooperation, and perform in three major concert venues.
Kathleen Coessens stresses the added value for young musicians. This project allows students to collaborate internationally and gain new musical perspectives. Prof. Handschuh acknowledges the organisational challenges of such an extensive initiative but underscores that the artistic and educational benefits far outweigh them.
The leadership of the collaboration will rotate every two years. Maastricht will take the lead first, followed by Liège in 2027 as part of the conservatory’s 200th-anniversary celebrations, and Aachen in 2029.
In 2025, Mahler’s 6th Symphony will be conducted by Arjan Tien from Conservatorium Maastricht. The scheduled performances are as follows:
📅 December 11 – Maastricht
📅 December 15 – Aachener Eurogress
📅 Date to be announced – Liège
