Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks) |

Symphony Orchestra of Bayerischen Rundfunks

Conductor Eugen Jochum founded the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1949, and soon the orchestra gained worldwide fame. Its chief conductors Rafael Kubelik, Colin Davis and Lorin Maazel have continuously developed and strengthened the group’s fame. New standards are being set by Mariss Jansons, the orchestra’s chief conductor since 2003.

Today, the orchestra’s repertoire includes not only classical and romantic works, but an important role is given to contemporary works. In addition, in 1945 Karl Amadeus Hartmann created a project that is still active today – a cycle of contemporary music concerts “Musica viva”. Since its founding, Musica Viva has been one of the most important institutions promoting the advancement of contemporary composers. Among the first participants were Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, a little later – Karlheinz Stockhausen, Mauricio Kagel, Luciano Berio and Peter Eötvös. Many of them performed themselves.

From the very beginning, many renowned conductors have shaped the artistic image of the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. Among them are Maestro Erich and Carlos Kleiber, Otto Klemperer, Leonard Bernstein, Georg Solti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Kurt Sanderling and, more recently, Bernard Haitink, Ricardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Herbert Bloomstedt, Daniel Harding, Yannick Nese. Seguin, Sir Simon Rattle and Andris Nelsons.

The Bavarian Radio Orchestra regularly performs not only in Munich and other German cities, but also in almost all European countries, Asia and South America, where the band appears as part of a large tour. Carnegie Hall in New York and renowned concert halls in the musical capitals of Japan are the orchestra’s permanent venues. Since 2004, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, conducted by Mariss Jansson, has been a regular participant in the Easter Festival in Lucerne.

The orchestra pays special attention to supporting up-and-coming young musicians. During the International Music Competition ARD, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra performs together with young performers both in the final rounds and in the final concert of the winners. Since 2001, the Academy of the Bavarian Radio Orchestra has been carrying out the most important educational work to prepare young musicians for their future careers, thus creating a strong link between educational and professional activities. In addition, the Orchestra supports an educational youth program that aims to bring classical music closer to the younger generation.

With a large number of CDs released by major labels and since 2009 by its own label BR-KLASSIK, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra has regularly won national and international awards. The last award was given in April 2018 – the annual BBC Music Magazine Recording award for the recording of G. Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 conducted by B. Haitink.

Numerous different musical reviews rank the Bavarian Radio Orchestra among the top ten orchestras in the world. Not so long ago, in 2008, the Orchestra was highly rated by the British music magazine Gramophone (6th place in the rating), in 2010 by the Japanese music magazine Mostly Classic (4th place).