On 26 April 2007, a press conference was held in the Hermitage Theatre to provide information about the pending concert tour of the unique Royal Wind Band Sophia's Vereeniging (Harmony) from The Netherlands.

The orchestra's concerts will take place in St Petersburg from 28 April through 5 May. The Royal Wind Band Sophia's Vereeniging (Harmony) from The Netherlands was founded almost 150 years ago on 19 February 1864 in the city of Loon op Zand in the Dutch Province of Northern Brabant. The orchestra was founded by two brothers, the noblemen Arnoldt and Jan Baptiste Verheyen, who joined together two groups of musicians, naming the new ensemble after their mother, Sophia's Vereeniging (Harmony). From the time of its founding up to the present day, the orchestra is under the patronage of the noble family of Verheyen. The chairman of the orchestra since 2002 is a member of the first chamber (Senate) of the Dutch parliament, Professor P. Essers.

Ever since 1910, Sophia's Vereeniging heads the Royal Dutch Federation of Musical Societies. In 1939 the orchestra took the title "Royal." Since 1950, the orchestra has won international recognition, making appearances in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and in the Boston Conservatory (USA). The large number of musicians (90) and the wide range of wind instruments in the orchestra enable it to perform a wide repertoire that includes Mahler, Shostakovich, Respighi, Mozart, Strauss, Tchaikowsky, Saint-Saens and Verdi. In addition to classical music, the orchestra also performs contemporary music and light dance music. However, unlike traditional wind bands, and without regard to the diversity of genres, the group does not participate in processions. Its instruments are of too great value for that.

Though it originally was a small wind band, Sophia's Vereeniging has come a long way in its 150 years, becoming a major symphonic orchestra. Its conductor Heinz Friesen studied oboe and orchestra conducting at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. From his youth, he enjoyed popularity as both performer and conductor. He was a soloist in the Rotterdam Philharmonic. For 20 years he taught the oboe at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. For 25 years he has conducted orchestras in The Netherlands and abroad. Friesen became especially known as the conductor of wind symphonic orchestras.

Concert schedule:

28 April - State Hermitage. Hermitage Theatre
29 April - Smolny Cathedral Concert and Exhibition Complex
1 May - Gorky House of Culture
3 May - M.I. Glinka St Petersburg Academic Capella
4 May - Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Preserve, Grand Hall of the Catherine Palace
5 May - N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg Conservatory (master class)

The concert programs include popular classical music (Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich, Strauss, Orph) and popular contemporary music.

Parts of a film about the orchestra were shown at the press conference.

At the press conference

Chairman of the orchestra, Professor Peter Essers

Peter fon Essen