Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Radio orchestra

Official logo (2021)

Native name| ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
Short name| RSO Wien
Former name| ORF-Symphonieorchester (1969–2009)
Founded| 1969; 56 years ago (1969)
Location| Vienna, Austria
Concert hall| Various (see below)
Principal conductor| Marin Alsop
Website| Official website

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

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Founded in 1969 with the name of the ORF-Symphonieorchester (ORF Symphony Orchestra), it is the only radio orchestra in the country. It acquired its current name in 2009.[1]

The orchestra performs in a number of venues, including Radiokulturhaus (in Vienna), Konzerthaus, Vienna, Theater an der Wien and Musikverein.

Milan Horvat was the orchestra's first chief conductor, from 1969 to 1975. During the tenure of Bertrand de Billy as chief conductor, from 2002 to 2010, he had disputes with management over funding and the continuing status of the orchestra.[2] 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.[3] Meister has conducted the RSO Wien in a commercial recording of the music of Gottfried von Einem. Meister concluded his RSO Wien tenure in 2018.[4]

In 2014, Marin Alsop 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.[5] Alsop is scheduled to conclude her RSO Wien tenure at the close of the 2025-2026 season.[6]

In February 2023, the RSO Wien faced proposed budgetary reductions and austerity measures which placed the existence of the orchestra in jeopardy.[7] 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.[8][9]

In 2018, Markus Poschner 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.[6]

## Chief conductors

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* Milan Horvat (1969–1975)
* Leif Segerstam (1975–1982)
* Lothar Zagrosek (1982–1986)
* Pinchas Steinberg (1989–1996)
* Dennis Russell Davies (1996–2002)
* Bertrand de Billy (2002–2010)
* Cornelius Meister (2010–2018)
* Marin Alsop (2019–present)

## See also

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* Radio orchestra

## References

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1. ^ "Geschichte des ORF Radio-Symphonieorchesters Wien" [History of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra] (in German). Retrieved 26 February 2020.
2. ^ "Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra names new chief conductor". Agence France-Presse. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2009. [dead link]
3. ^ "Cornelius Meister zum neuen RSO Chefdirigenten ab September 2010 bestellt". OTS.at (in German). 9 January 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
4. ^ "Chefdirigent Meister verlässt RSO im Jahr 2018". ORF. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
5. ^ "Marin Alsop appointed new Chief Conductor of the Vienna RSO" (Press release). Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
6. ^ a b "Poschner soll RSO-Chefdirigent werden". ORF. 18 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
7. ^ Wolfgang Vichtl (27 February 2023). "Spar-Debatte beim ORF: Steht das RSO Wien vor dem Aus?". BR Klassik. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
8. ^ "Rettung für das RSO Wien: Orchesterzukunft ist gesichert". BR Klassik. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
9. ^ "Parlamentskorrespondenz Nr. 522 vom 11.05.2023 - Kulturausschuss: ÖVP und Grüne vertagen Initiativen der Opposition" (Press release). Parlament Österreich. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

## Further reading

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* "RSO will gegen das drohende Aus des Orchesters kämpfen". Wiener Zeitung (in German). 20 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
* "No future für das Musikland Österreich – Warum der ORF zu seinem Radio-Symphonieorchester stehen muss – neue musikzeitung". nmz (in German). 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien.

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Orchestras based in Vienna, Austria

* Vienna Philharmonic
* Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera
* Vienna Symphony
* Vienna Chamber Orchestra
* Tonkünstler Orchestra
* Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
* Vienna Hofburg Orchestra
* Vienna Mozart Orchestra
* Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester
* Klangforum Wien

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