Founded in 1965, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra developed under the direction of Sergiu Celibidache (1965–1971) into an ensemble of world standard, resulting in a number of highly successful international tours. Celibidache was succeeded by Herbert Blomstedt, who led the orchestra to continued success between 1977 and 1982. In 1984 the 25-year-old Esa-Pekka Salonen arrived, bringing fresh thinking and new repertoire. Ten years later the Russian Yevgeny Svetlanov took over the reins. While his first love was the Romantics, he also had a strong predilection for Swedish music. Between 2000 and 2006 the Austrian Manfred Honeck drilled the orchestra in the Viennese tradition and the Classical style. “An orchestra that can play Mozart well can play anything,” was his watchword. Today the post of Music Director is held by an Englishman, Daniel Harding. His programming reflects an untrammelled attitude to tradition, often combining new and old in original constellations. And he has continued the practice of commissioning and performing new Swedish music.
“I’m very proud to be the new Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony and to be building a lasting and committed relationship with this wonderful orchestra,” says Harding.
Looking after the treasures of Swedish art music and fostering its continued growth by commissioning and playing new works is a task that the SRSO has always shouldered with pride. A notable figure in this connection is Stig Westerberg, who conducted over one hundred Swedish premières between 1958 and 1983.
Touring is an important part of the orchestra’s activities. In 2003 the SRSO took part in the BBC Proms in London. In 2004 it played in Vienna’s Musikverein at the Easter Festival, while 2005 saw performances at Saint Petersburg’s White Nights Festival as well as a major tour through Spain. Last year SRSO was the first ever Swedish orchestra to visit Abu Dhabi and in January this year they made a successful appearance with Daniel Harding at the Canary Islands Music Festival.
The Baltic Sea Festival is an international festival which seeks to unite the Baltic rim countries in the name of classical music as well as shine a spotlight on environmental issues. It has been organised by the Berwaldhallen each year since 2003. Joint artistic directors are Esa-Pekka Salonen and Valery Gergiev, and the SRSO is joined by guest orchestras and musicians from around the Baltic.
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra is well-represented on CD. A recently initiated partnership with Deutsche Grammophon has already resulted in recordings with Esa-Pekka Salonen, Hélène Grimaud, Hilary Hahn and others.
Since 1979 the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra has made its home at Stockholm’s Berwaldhallen. At the same time, SRSO is “all Sweden’s orchestra” thanks to its partnership with Swedish Radio P2. Most of its concerts are also broadcast to large regions of the world through the European Broadcasting Union, which brings them to an audience of some 80 million listeners.
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For more information, please contact:
Sales Manager,
Karin Adolfsson-Goldman +46-(0)8-784 5112,
karin.adolfsson-goldman@sr.se 
