The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) (Scottish Gaelic: Orcastra Nàiseanta Rìoghail na h-Alba) is a Scottish orchestra, based in Glasgow. It is one of the five national performing arts companies of Scotland. Throughout its history, the Orchestra has played an essential part in Scotland’s musical life, including performing at the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament building in 2004.[1]
The precursor ensemble to the RSNO was established in 1843 to accompany the Glasgow Choral Union (today known as the RSNO Chorus). In 1891, the orchestra was recognised formally as the Scottish Orchestra, with George Henschel as the ensemble's first principal conductor under that name. In 1950, the orchestra took the name of the Scottish National Orchestra. The orchestra received royal patronage in 1977, one of only three British orchestras to do so (after the Royal Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic). It continued to use the name 'Scottish National Orchestra' until 1991, when it changed to its present name (although during 1992 it briefly changed to the title Royal Scottish Orchestra before reverting to its current name[2]).
The orchestra's longest-serving principal conductor was Sir Alexander Gibson, the first Scot to be its principal conductor and musical director, from 1959 to 1984, who is also the founder of Scottish Opera. He pioneered overseas tours by the Orchestra, the SNO Junior Chorus and by Scottish Opera. He also became Hon President of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During Gibson's tenure, beginning in 1979, the RSNO's base was at Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow and this space was also used as its recording venue. Gibson was particularly noted for his interpretations of Scandinavian composers, notably Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. His successor, Neeme Järvi, continued this tradition, and also led the orchestra through its first complete Gustav Mahler cycle. Principal conductor from 1984 to 1988, Järvi currently has the title of conductor laureate with the RSNO. Bryden Thomson, the orchestra's second Scottish principal conductor, maintained the Nordic link with a cycle of Nielsen symphonies.
Alexander Lazarev was principal conductor of the RSNO from 1997 to 2005, and now has the title of conductor emeritus with the orchestra. Marin Alsop was the RSNO's principal guest conductor from 2000 to 2003, the first woman to hold the title. Garry Walker succeeded Alsop as principal guest conductor, serving from 2003 to 2007. Stéphane Denève was music director of the RSNO from 2005 to 2012.[3] During his tenure, the RSNO recorded music of Debussy and of Albert Roussel, the latter for Naxos Records.
In January 2011, the RSNO announced the appointment of Peter Oundjian as its next music director, as of the 2012–2013 season, with an initial contract of 4 years.[4][5] In October 2011, Thomas Søndergård was named the orchestra's principal guest conductor, as of the 2012–2013 season, with an initial contract of 3 years for 3 programmes per year.[6] In 2015, the orchestra took up new residence at the RSNO Centre and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The RSNO's current assistant conductor is Holly Mathieson, since September 2016. Oundjian is scheduled to conclude his tenure as RSNO music director after the close of the 2017–2018 season.
In May 2017, the RSNO announced the appointment of Søndergård as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018-2019 season.[7] In June 2017, the RSNO appointed Elim Chan as its next principal guest conductor, effective 2018,[8] following her first guest-conducting appearance with the RSNO in January 2017 and a return engagement a fortnight later as an emergency substitute for Neeme Järvi.[9] In February 2021, the RSNO announced the extension of Søndergård's contract as music director through autumn 2024.[10] In April 2023, the RSNO announced a 1-year extension of Søndergård's contract as music director through the 2024-2025 season.[11]
In December 2018, the RSNO announced the appointment of Alistair Mackie as its next chief executive, effective April 2019.[12]
RSNO Chorus and RSNO Junior Chorus
The affiliated choruses of the RSNO are the RSNO Chorus and the RSNO Junior Chorus. The RSNO Chorus evolved from a choir formed in 1843 to sing the first full performance of Handel's Messiah in Scotland, in April 1844. In addition to its commitment to the RSNO, the Chorus performs independently and has toured worldwide. The current chorus director is Gregory Batsleer.
In 1978, Jean Kidd formed the RSNO Junior Chorus. In 1994 its director became Christopher Bell and then in 2018 it changed to Patrick Barrett. The RSNO Junior Chorus has a membership of around 400 singers, aged from eight to eighteen. The members learn to sing using the Kodály method.
Recordings
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
The orchestra has had a long-standing recording contract with Chandos Records, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. The RSNO has also recorded for Naxos Records, most notably in a cycle of Anton Bruckner symphonies with Georg Tintner, cycles of Arnold Bax symphonies with David Lloyd-Jones, and several recordings of American works (including the complete orchestral works of Samuel Barber) conducted by Marin Alsop. With Denève, their first Roussel recording[13] received the Diapason d'Or de l'année for Symphonic Music. The second disc in the series was released in 2008.[14]
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its primary performance venue is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. Jader Bignamini is the current music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, with Na'Zir McFadden as assistant conductor. Leonard Slatkin, the previous music director, is the orchestra's current music director laureate. Neeme Järvi, music director from 1990 to 2005, is the orchestra's current music director emeritus.
The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is a Swedish symphony orchestra based in Gothenburg. The GSO is resident at the Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen. The orchestra received the title of the National Orchestra of Sweden in 1997.
Neeme Järvi is an Estonian American conductor.
Paavo Järvi is an Estonian-American conductor. He has been chief conductor of Zurich's Tonhalle since 2020.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is the second-oldest professional symphony orchestra in the United States, preceded only by the New York Philharmonic. Its principal concert venue is Powell Hall, located in midtown St. Louis.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional radio orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation in Wales, occupying a dual role as both a broadcasting orchestra and national orchestra. The BBC NOW has its administrative base in Cardiff, at the BBC Hoddinott Hall on the site of the Wales Millennium Centre, since January 2009.
The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
The São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra is a Brazilian orchestra based in São Paulo. The principal concert venue of OSESP is the Sala São Paulo.
Peter Oundjian is a Canadian-American violinist and conductor.
The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra currently performs most of its concerts at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Marin Alsop is an American-born Austrian conductor, 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 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Ravinia Festival. She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008 and to the American Philosophical Society in 2020.
Stéphane Denève is a French conductor. He is currently music director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the New World Symphony.
The Colorado Symphony is an American symphony orchestra located in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall, located in the Denver Performing Arts center, and throughout the Front Range, presenting education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the Inside the Score and Symphony on the Rocks series.
James Lowe is an orchestra conductor and current Music Director of the Spokane Symphony in Spokane, WA beginning in the 2019-2020 season. He assumed his role of Chief Conductor of the Prussian Chamber Orchestra for the 2015/16 season. His work as Artistic Director of the Hallé Harmony Youth Orchestra was featured in a four-part documentary shown in the UK on Channel 4 in 2010. A recipient of the Bernard Haitink Fund for Young Talent, Lowe is Principal Conductor of the Edinburgh Contemporary Music Ensemble, Principal Guest Conductor of Music for Everyone, Orchestras Advisor and conductor of the Senior Orchestra of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and held the position of Associate Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. James is also Artistic Advisor of the Nottingham Youth Orchestra, with whom he began his orchestral career.
The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) is a Japanese symphony orchestra based in Tokyo, with administrative offices in Suginami.
Thomas Søndergård is a Danish conductor and percussionist.
Holly Mathieson is a New Zealand conductor and music academic.
Elim Chan is a Hong Kong-born conductor. Elim Chan has been the chief conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra since the 2019-2020 concert season and has been the permanent guest conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra since the 2018-2019 season.
This is a summary of the year 2017 in British music.
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