Acclaimed baroque orchestra La Petite Bande will fold after spending cuts

From January 2013 La Petite Bande will cease to have state funding. The Netherlands' baroque orchestra was formed in 1972 by Sigiswald Kuijken, but they say that the elimination of subsidy will mark the end of the orchestra. Until this year annual funding has been €575,000. It will now be €0.

Kuijken was astonished by the decision to turn down their application,

It is certainly not my intention to shout from the rooftops, we have defended our position in this grant struggle with dignity, but I have no words for this decision, and I don't understand the position of the committee. We will now see how we can tackle the issues. I would like to thank everyone for their support in recent weeks.

A petition has been signed by more than 19,000 people in recent weeks, but nothing could sway the board's decision.

Kuijken is currently on tour with La Petite Bande in the United Kingdom.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.