ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

The 'Royal Scottish National Orchestra' is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-strong professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad.
Formed in 1891 as the 'Scottish Orchestra', the company has performed full-time since 1950 and was awarded royal patronage in 1991. Shortly after the award it briefly used the title 'Royal Scottish Orchestra' before reverting to its present name.
Under its first Scottish-born, and longest serving conductor, Sir Alexander Gibson, the orchestra began to develop an international profile. In line with Gibson's own specialisms, the orchestra became known for its interpretations of Scandinavian composers, notably Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. This was consolidated in the tenure of Neeme Järvi who also led the orchestra through its first complete Gustav Mahler cycle. The second Scot to lead the orchestra, the late Bryden Thomson, maintained the Nordic link with a memorable cycle of Nielsen symphonies, with the recordings of the Fourth and Sixth symphonies generally regarded as amongst the finest available.
The RSNO's base is at Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow and is also used as its recording venue. However the orchestra's performing home is the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
The orchestra had a long-standing recording contract with Chandos Records in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, it chiefly records for Naxos Records, most notably in a cycle of Anton Bruckner symphonies with the late Georg Tintner, and several recordings of American works under the baton of Marin Alsop.
The orchestra is supported by the RSNO Chorus. Though not professional, the Chorus performs with the orchestra throughout the year, and for the RSNO's Season and Prom series in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. The current chorus director is Timothy Dean.
The RSNO's artistic team is headed by music director, Stéphane Denève, principal guest conductor, Garry Walker, and associate conductor James Lowe with Simon Woods as its chief executive. Denève began his tenure as music director in 2005, and is expected to continue through 2011.^[1]
The RSNO is currently sponsored by STV, Scotland's most popular peak time TV channel. In April 2007, the orchestra shifted from control by the Scottish Arts Council to control by the Scottish Executive.

Contents

Principal conductors

References

External links

Principal conductors

★ Stéphane Denève (2005–''present'') ★ Alexander Lazarev (1997-2005) ★ Walter Weller (1991-1996) ★ Bryden Thomson (1988-1990) ★ Neeme Järvi (1984-1988) ★ Alexander Gibson (1959-1984) ★ Hans Swarowsky (1957-1959) ★ Karl Rankl (1952-1957) ★ Walter Susskind (1946-1952) ★ Warwick Braithwaite (1940-1946)

★ George Szell (1937-1939) ★ John Barbirolli (1933-1936) ★ Vladimir Golschmann (1928-1930) ★ Václav Talich (1926-1927) ★ Landon Ronald (1916-1920) ★ Emil Młynarski (1910-1916) ★ Frederic Cowen (1900-1910) ★ Max Bruch (1898-1900) ★ Willem Kes (1895-1898) ★ George Henschel (1893-1895)

References

1. RSNO to retain music director and receive £750,000 from executive Phil Miller

External links

★ Royal Scottish National Orchestra official website

★ RSNO MySpace

★ Stephane Deneve