GOTHENBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA is a musical institution that has surpassed its century of existence. It aims to be the best and the foremost in the world and in pursuit of perfection. The 109 musicians of the orchestra are ‘all driven by the love of music and the desire to deliver incomparable experiences. It is the passion and ambition that makes us one of the leading orchestras in the world.’
It conducts about 100 concerts each year, and also invites international artists – ‘a world-class musician with an inspiring artistry’: Ambrat Hussain Brothers from Rajasthan will play table on 25 October 2019, Gulaza will sing in Arabic on 7 February 2020.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is the National Orchestra of Sweden. The honour came to it in 1997 when it was named after the nation.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1905 and its home stage is Gothenburg’s Concert Hall.
A percussionist or violinist or any other musician in an orchestra has to be thoroughly attentive: watching, listening, guessing, playing, anticipating – an example for complete attention into action of delivery in front of an audience.
Santtu-Matias Rouvali is the chief conductor of the orchestra from 2019 until 2025 but associated with Gothenburg since 2017. He has delivered concerts in Nordic countries, Germany, Austria and beyond has made a mark in the international music scene in addition to getting critical acclaim from audiences and critics. Rouvali is born into a family of musicians in 1985, and studied music at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. He competed in the Eurovision Young Soloists Finnish qualifier in 2004 as a percussionist. From the season 2019-2020 he will have Barbara Hannigan and Christoph Eschenbach by their side as the first guest conductor.
Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra’s chief conductor during 1907-1922. He laid the foundation for the symphony, and get a strong Nordic profile, and invited his colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Today, he is honoured at the Gothenburg Concert Hall.
The number of musicians in the orchestra almost trebled since it was founded in 1905 and today it has consists of 109 musicians: chief conductor (Santtu-Matias Rouvali), honorary conductor (Gustavo Dudamel), principal conductor (Neeme Järvi), concertmasters – first concertmasters (Per Enoksson & Sara Trobäck), alternate first concertmaster, second concertmaster (Justyna Jara). And other musicians playing first violin (15), second violin (17), viola (17), cello (12), double bass (9); and 16 musicians of woodwinds – flute, flute and piccolo, oboe, oboe and cor anglais, clarinet, e-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, brass – horn, trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, and harp, piano, timpani, and percussion.
The conductor Neeme Järvis, 1982-2004, made the orchestra carve a name for itself with international tours and over 100 recordings among Europe’s foremost orchestras. Gustavo Dudamel was the chief conductor from 2007-2012 who was one the well-known conductors of our time. In 1983, the orchestra traveled to the United States and also appeared at Carnegie Hall. “A world-class orchestra” reported the New York Times. In 1987, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra made its debut in Asia (Japan, China). Since then it appeared at BBC Proms in London, Lucerne in Switzerland, the Salzburg Festival, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Barbican in London.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is part of the Västra Götaland region the regional government of Sweden and supported by other sponsors.
