“Wow wow wow!” A triumph at the Concertgebouw

Tuesday the 25th of November 2025 was an auspicious day in the history of the Sinfonia of London – our international debut. Not only that, but it was taking place at a venue frequently cited as one of the world’s greatest concert halls; Amsterdam’s Concetgebouw.

We were thrilled to be invited by them. Of course because of the famed acoustics, but also because John has history with the hall – as a student he shared a subscription with a friend and attended concerts there.

Our programme consisted of Richard Strauss’s Don Juan (recently performed to much acclaim at the BBC Proms), Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto with soloist Benjamin Grosvenor and, with John keen to bring an English masterpiece to Dutch audiences, Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

How would the Concertgebouw audience react though? Having the cream of the world orchestras pass through the hall on a nightly basis, would they turn up for us, and what would their assessment be?

“what a party it was in the packed, enthusiastic hall“

Daily Trouw

Well, we needn’t have even paused to wonder. The concert sold out in advance, and the reviews, when they came, were not much short of ecstatic. Plus, in the hall our performances were greeted by such ovations that both the Orchestra and Benjamin Grosvenor played encores (Eric Coates’ Knightsbridge March and Bach’s Prelude in E minor (arr. Siloti in B minor) respectively).

Here’s just a selection of audience and press reaction – plus some pictures of the evening by photographer Eduardus Lee.

“And what a party it was in the packed, enthusiastic hall. With its famous, lavishly rich string sound, the orchestra immediately launched into Richard Strauss’s Don Juan. With boisterous and exciting swells of sound, the orchestra delivered. His calling card was already on display in the opening seconds. It was almost too much at once, but Wilson always covered it well without sacrificing that generous sound. What a stunning performance this was, with the wonderful swaggering bravado of a group of top horn players, and trumpeters playing dizzying runs. Wow, wow, wow!“
Peter van der Lint in the Daily Trouw.

“It was amazing! Standing ovation was very much deserved 😍”
Audience Member

“Sinfonia of London hit the big time at the Concertgebouw…they brought the house down“
“When the strings took their turn, the red carpet was rolled out. What a sound! Crystal clear. The drive and precision of these players is remarkable. And Wilson knows the secret to good timing, which was strict yet yielded an elastic result“
Frederike Berntsen in Het Parool.

“A sizzling international debut!..Memorable evening – deserved (multiple) standing ovations”
Audience Member

“This elite ensemble, composed of leading British soloists, combined individual virtuosity with seamless cohesion under Wilson’s firm yet fluid direction…the narrative of the night revealed itself as a seamless journey from vibrant orchestral colour, through intimate storytelling, to triumphant virtuosity, a musical evening remembered both for its depth and its brilliance.”
Antonio D’Amato in ArtsTalk Magazine (Substack)

“This was really a concert to be remembered: A superb orchestra with a superb conductor and a superb soloist!!“
Audience Member

“With the Concertgebouw organ bolstering forces, a glorious Finale filled every crevice of the hall. Wilson had the Dutch audience firmly in the palm of his hands“
Clare Varney in BachTrack

“So many wonderful moments of musical insight superlative playing from the stars in every section of the orchestra. Such natural feeling of exuberance from the chef, endless goosebumps and an audience entirely captivated by the highest quality of music making one could imagine …and more….such colours and such pianissimi and the encore Eric Coates Knightsbridge March . Come back soon, please.”
Audience Member