It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved colleague Joaquin Clemente Riera, Ximo, on 18 August. As well as being a passionate musician, Ximo was a warm and dedicated colleague. Through his commitment and love of music, Ximo played a major role in the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. His passion and musicality were palpable to everyone on stage and in the auditorium. We will miss Ximo terribly and wish his loved ones much strength.
Joaquín Clemente Riera
Double bass
Born in Buñol, Valencia in 1982, Joaquin Clemente Riera undertook his early studies locally at the Conservatory of Buñol, before graduating from the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Valencia. He then moved to London, where he studied with Thomas Martin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Following this, he spent more than a decade appearing with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León. He was then appointed to the principal job with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and alongside this role he made frequent appearances with other groups, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Aurora Orchestra.
Joaquin Clemente Riera was also a pedagogue and served as a professor of double bass at Codarts in Rotterdam.
A long-serving member of Muyayos de Raïz (a Utrecht folk-fusion ensemble that performs Celtic, Basque, Galician, and Roma music), he also performed extensively outside of the classical tradition.