The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra ( no, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, SSO) is a

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...

based in

Stavanger Stavanger (, , American English, US usually , ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the a ...

, Norway. The SSO principal venue is the Stavanger Concert Hall (Stavanger konserthus), performing in the Fartein Valen concert hall.

History

The

Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

founded the orchestra in 1938 as the ''Stavanger musikerforenings orkester'', for radio broadcasts. The orchestra's first artistic leader was the violinist Gunnar Knudsen, from 1938 to 1945. In 1965, the orchestra's name was changed to the ''Symfoniorkestret i Stavanger'', and again in 1982 to its present name. Past artistic leaders of the orchestra have included

Susanna Mälkki Susanna Ulla Marjukka Mälkki (born 13 March 1969) is a Finnish conductor and cellist. Early life and education Susanna Ulla Marjukka Mälkki was born on 13 March 1969 in Helsinki. She began to learn the violin, piano, and cello in her youth ...

(2002–2005), and more recently the American conductor

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(2007–2013). Christian Vásquez was chief conductor from 2013 to 2019. In addition to its chief conductor, the SSO has appointed conductors with a formal principal responsibility for early music programming, including

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(1990–1997), Philippe Herreweghe, and since 2006, Fabio Biondi. In June 2019, the SSO announced the appointment of Andris Poga as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season. Tianyi Lu became the SSO's conductor-in-residence for the 2021-2022 season. The SSO has recorded commercially for such labels as BIS, including music of Harald Sæverud,

Geirr Tveitt Geirr Tveitt (born Nils Tveit; 19 October 1908 – 1 February 1981) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. Tveitt was a central figure of the national movement in Norwegian cultural life during the 1930s. Life Early years Tveitt was born in Be ...

and Fartein Valen.

Artistic leaders and chief conductors

* Gunnar Knudsen (1938–1945) * Karsten Andersen (1945–1963) * Bjørn Woll (1963–1989) * Aleksandr Dmitriev (1990–1998) * Ole Kristian Ruud (1999–2002) *

(2002–2005) *

(2007–2013) * Christian Vásquez (2013–2019) * Andris Poga (2021–present)

Early music programme directors

(1990–1997) * Philippe Herreweghe * Fabio Biondi (2006–2017)

References

External links

Official orchestra site

Store Norske leksikon entry on the orchestra

* ttp://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Apr09/Valen_biscd163242.htm Music Web International review of BIS CD-1632, "Fartein Valen: Orchestral Music, Volume 2", 9 April 2009. {{Authority control Norwegian orchestras Symphony orchestras Musical groups established in 1938 1938 establishments in Norway Musical groups from Stavanger