Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
The German Symphony Orchestra of Berlin has been known by its present name since 1993. It can however look back on over fifty years of musical activity. Since its founding in 1946, the German Symphony Orchestra has gained a reputation for the breadth and variety of its repertoire. It was initially formed by the broadcasters in Berlin's American sector as the RIAS Symphony Orchestra. Ferenc Fricsay, the first conductor, was to set the tone: twentieth century music would become central to the orchestra's repertoire.
The first name change took place in 1956. Freies Berlin had bought into the orchestra – from now on it was to serve two broadcasting companies. It was therefore renamed the Radio Symphony Orchestra. Following the death of Fricsay, Lorin Maazel took over the artistic direction of the orchestra. His departure to Pittsburgh heralded a long interregnum, until Riccardo Chailly was appointed the third conductor in 1982 at the age of 29. From 1989 to 1999, Vladimir Ashkenazy became the fourth to fill the position.
At the beginning of the 2000/01 season, Kent Nagano succeeded him as conductor and artistic director. He had already conducted various concerts with the German Symphony Orchestra during the preceding season, including a lengthy tour to Japan in October 1999. The Japanese Guild of Music Critics were to vote the orchestra “Best International Guest Orchestra of 1999”. The first joint CD appeared in autumn 2000: a recording of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3. Then, just before Christmas, Kent Nagano and his orchestra enjoyed a resounding success with their performance of John Adam's El Niño in Le Châtelet in Paris.
The first name change took place in 1956. Freies Berlin had bought into the orchestra – from now on it was to serve two broadcasting companies. It was therefore renamed the Radio Symphony Orchestra. Following the death of Fricsay, Lorin Maazel took over the artistic direction of the orchestra. His departure to Pittsburgh heralded a long interregnum, until Riccardo Chailly was appointed the third conductor in 1982 at the age of 29. From 1989 to 1999, Vladimir Ashkenazy became the fourth to fill the position.
At the beginning of the 2000/01 season, Kent Nagano succeeded him as conductor and artistic director. He had already conducted various concerts with the German Symphony Orchestra during the preceding season, including a lengthy tour to Japan in October 1999. The Japanese Guild of Music Critics were to vote the orchestra “Best International Guest Orchestra of 1999”. The first joint CD appeared in autumn 2000: a recording of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3. Then, just before Christmas, Kent Nagano and his orchestra enjoyed a resounding success with their performance of John Adam's El Niño in Le Châtelet in Paris.
Windsbach Boys Choir