The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (German: ''ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien'', or RSO Wien) is the orchestra of the Austrian national broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF). Unlike most other Austrian orchestras, the RSO Wien has a substantial focus on contemporary classical music. The current ''Intendant'' of the orchestra is Christoph Becher.

History

Founded in 1969 with the name of the ''ORF-Symphonieorchester'' (ORF Symphony Orchestra), it is the only

radio orchestra A radio orchestra (or broadcast orchestra) is an orchestra employed by a radio network (and sometimes television networks) in order to provide programming as well as sometimes perform incidental or theme music for various shows on the network. In ...

in the country. It acquired its current name in 2009. The orchestra performs in a number of venues, including Radiokulturhaus (in Vienna),

Konzerthaus, Vienna The Konzerthaus is a concert hall located in Vienna, Austria, which opened in 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both traditional and ...

Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prim ...

and

Musikverein The ( or ; ), commonly shortened to , is a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, which is located in the Innere Stadt district. The building opened in 1870 and is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. The acoustics of the building's 'Grea ...

. Milan Horvat was the orchestra's first chief conductor, from 1969 to 1975. During the tenure of

Bertrand de Billy Bertrand de Billy (born Paris, 11 January 1965) is a French and Swiss conductor. He attended a Jesuit school, but only started serious musical studies when he was around 14–15; he studied piano and violin. CD Opéra https://debilly.com/cd-op ...

as chief conductor, from 2002 to 2010, he had disputes with management over funding and the continuing status of the orchestra. In January 2009, the RSO Wien announced the appointment of Cornelius Meister as its seventh chief conductor, effective with the 2010–2011 season and with an initial contract through August 2014. Meister has conducted the RSO Wien in a commercial recording of the music of

Gottfried von Einem Gottfried von Einem (24 January 1918 – 12 July 1996) was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ. Bio ...

. Meister concluded his RSO Wien tenure in 2018. In 2014,

Marin Alsop Marin Alsop (; born October 16, 1956) is an American conductor. She is the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Prize for conducting and the first conductor to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. She is music director laureate of the Baltimor ...

first guest-conducted the RSO Wien. In January 2018, the RSO Wien announced the appointment of Alsop as its next chief conductor, effective 1 September 2019, with an initial contract of 3 years, later extended until 2025. She is the first female conductor to be named chief conductor of the RSO Wien. Alsop took the title of chief conductor designate with immediate effect, through the 2018–2019 season. Alsop is scheduled to conclude her RSO Wien tenure at the close of the 2025-2026 season. In February 2023, the RSO Wien faced proposed budgetary reductions and austerity measures which placed the existence of the orchestra in jeopardy. However, in March 2023, the Austrian federal government stated assurance that the existence of the RSO Wien was not to be in jeopardy, and that subsidy funding was secured for the RSO Wien through 2026, with future financial plans to be decided in due course. In 2018,

Markus Poschner Markus Poschner (born 1 February 1971) is a German conductor and pianist. Biography Born in Munich, Poschner studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich with Hermann Michael. His mentors and supporters included Sir Roger Norri ...

first guest-conducted the RSO Wien. In February 2025, the RSO Wien announced the appointment of Poschner as its next chief conductor, subject to the settlement of secure funding for the orchestra.

Chief conductors

* Milan Horvat (1969–1975) *

Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , 2 March 1944 – 9 October 2024) was a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist, and pianist, especially known for writing over 300 symphonies, along with other works. From 1963 onward Segerstam conducted a vari ...

(1975–1982) *

Lothar Zagrosek Lothar Zagrosek (born 13 November 1942 in Otting, Germany) is a German conductor. As a youth, he sang in the Regensburg Cathedral choir, including performances as the First Boy in ''The Magic Flute'' at the 1954 Salzburg Festival. From 1962 to ...

(1982–1986) *

Pinchas Steinberg Pinchas Steinberg (; born 13 December 1945) is an Israeli-German conductor and violinist. He is currently the Chief Conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Early career Steinberg studied violin in the USA under Jascha Heifetz and Jo ...

(1989–1996) *

Dennis Russell Davies Dennis Russell Davies (born April 16, 1944, in Toledo, Ohio) is an American conductor and pianist. He is chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic and of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at ...

(1996–2002) *

(2002–2010) *

Cornelius Meister Cornelius Meister (born 23 February 1980 in Hannover, is a German conductor and pianist. Biography Meister's father, Konrad Meister, was a pianist and professor of piano at the Musikhochschule Hannover. His mother is also a piano teacher. His ...

(2010–2018) *

(2019–present)

References

External links

* {{Authority control Musical groups established in 1969 Orchestras in Vienna Radio and television orchestras ORF (broadcaster)

History

Chief conductors

See also

References

Further reading

External links