DSO Berlin
For more than 60 years, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO)has distinguished itself through the scope and variety of its work. The orchestra was founded in 1946 as the RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester by the broadcasting station in the American sector of Berlin. Ferenc Fricsay, the orchestra's first Principal Conductor, set the standard and defined the orchestra's repertoire, placing emphasis on music of the 20th century. At the same time the orchestra's sound was characterized by their transparency, structural clarity and plasticity.
In 1956, the former SenderFreies Berlin (today Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, RBB) took on part of the financial responsibility for the orchestra. As it then served two broadcasters, the name was changed to Radio-Symphonie-Orchester (RSO). With this new identity and increased exposure, the orchestra soon earned an excellent reputation both in Berlin and abroad, through extensive tours as well as through broadcasts and television productions. In 1964, after the untimely death of Fricsay, the youngLorin Maazel took on the artistic responsibility for the orchestra. He was followed by Riccardo Chailly in 1982 and by Vladimir Ashkenazy in 1989, who remained Principal Conductor until 1999. The start of Ashkenazy's tenure coincided with a significant moment in German history - the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification of East and West. In 1993, to avoid confusion in Berlin's newly reunited cultural landscape, the orchestra decided to relinquish its familiar name in favour of its present one - Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Since January 1994, the DSO has been part of the Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH (roc GmbH), whose shareholders are DeutschlandRadio (40%), The Federal Republic of Germany (35%), the state of Berlin (20%) and the RBB (5%).
As the orchestra moved into the new century, Kent Nagano has been the deciding influential figure. Nagano was named Principal Conductor and Artistic Director at the beginning of the 2000|2001 season, and the unique partnership that quickly developed between orchestra and conductor has been greeted with enthusiasm by audiences and critics alike. His contract with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin was renewed until 2006, and he will remain with the orchestra as Conductor Laureate until the year 2008, working on four major projects each season.
Ingo Metzmacher became the orchestra's first german-born Music Director at the beginning of the 2007|2008 season. In that season, Ingo Metzmacher explored the specific relation between the German mind and music in the programming theme Von deutscher Seele. In 2008|2009 Metzmacher will take the DSO and its audience on another thematic journey. With Aufbruch 1909, he will be investigating the revolutionary musical impulses and changes between 1900 and World War I - when the concept of tonality was increasingly being challenged until it finally collapsed.
The orchestra's performances of many world premieres, at home and abroad, bear witness to its dedication to contemporary music. In 1951 it premiered Alban Berg's violin concerto. In the concert series Musik der Gegenwart (MdG) in 1967, the orchestra performed the world premiere of the cello concerto by György Ligeti. A CD and DVD of their world premiere of John Adams' El Niño with Kent Nagano at Paris were produced in 2000 and awarded the prestigious Diaspon d'Or.
Tours have included concerts in Lebanon, Russia, Asia, the USA and South America, as well as regular engagements at the Salzburg Festival and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Its relationship with the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle has resulted in a series of guest performances in Eastern Europe (Sofia, Bucharest, Warsaw, Belgrade and Sibiu). Further, the DSO performed in the major European concert halls, such as the Auditorium National in Madrid, Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels and Megaron in Athens. In the 2008|2009 season, the orchestra will travel to Asia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain and France.
The orchestra is pleased to have been affiliated with harmonia mundi since 2003, a collaboration which has led to several awards: Schönberg‘s Die Jakobsleiter received the Diapason d'Or, Bernstein's Mass was nominated for a Grammy award and the 3 opera Set of Ernst Krenek received the ECHO Klassik Award 2005 for the best opera recording.
www.dso-berlin.de
In 1956, the former SenderFreies Berlin (today Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, RBB) took on part of the financial responsibility for the orchestra. As it then served two broadcasters, the name was changed to Radio-Symphonie-Orchester (RSO). With this new identity and increased exposure, the orchestra soon earned an excellent reputation both in Berlin and abroad, through extensive tours as well as through broadcasts and television productions. In 1964, after the untimely death of Fricsay, the youngLorin Maazel took on the artistic responsibility for the orchestra. He was followed by Riccardo Chailly in 1982 and by Vladimir Ashkenazy in 1989, who remained Principal Conductor until 1999. The start of Ashkenazy's tenure coincided with a significant moment in German history - the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification of East and West. In 1993, to avoid confusion in Berlin's newly reunited cultural landscape, the orchestra decided to relinquish its familiar name in favour of its present one - Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Since January 1994, the DSO has been part of the Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH (roc GmbH), whose shareholders are DeutschlandRadio (40%), The Federal Republic of Germany (35%), the state of Berlin (20%) and the RBB (5%).
As the orchestra moved into the new century, Kent Nagano has been the deciding influential figure. Nagano was named Principal Conductor and Artistic Director at the beginning of the 2000|2001 season, and the unique partnership that quickly developed between orchestra and conductor has been greeted with enthusiasm by audiences and critics alike. His contract with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin was renewed until 2006, and he will remain with the orchestra as Conductor Laureate until the year 2008, working on four major projects each season.
Ingo Metzmacher became the orchestra's first german-born Music Director at the beginning of the 2007|2008 season. In that season, Ingo Metzmacher explored the specific relation between the German mind and music in the programming theme Von deutscher Seele. In 2008|2009 Metzmacher will take the DSO and its audience on another thematic journey. With Aufbruch 1909, he will be investigating the revolutionary musical impulses and changes between 1900 and World War I - when the concept of tonality was increasingly being challenged until it finally collapsed.
The orchestra's performances of many world premieres, at home and abroad, bear witness to its dedication to contemporary music. In 1951 it premiered Alban Berg's violin concerto. In the concert series Musik der Gegenwart (MdG) in 1967, the orchestra performed the world premiere of the cello concerto by György Ligeti. A CD and DVD of their world premiere of John Adams' El Niño with Kent Nagano at Paris were produced in 2000 and awarded the prestigious Diaspon d'Or.
Tours have included concerts in Lebanon, Russia, Asia, the USA and South America, as well as regular engagements at the Salzburg Festival and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Its relationship with the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle has resulted in a series of guest performances in Eastern Europe (Sofia, Bucharest, Warsaw, Belgrade and Sibiu). Further, the DSO performed in the major European concert halls, such as the Auditorium National in Madrid, Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels and Megaron in Athens. In the 2008|2009 season, the orchestra will travel to Asia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain and France.
The orchestra is pleased to have been affiliated with harmonia mundi since 2003, a collaboration which has led to several awards: Schönberg‘s Die Jakobsleiter received the Diapason d'Or, Bernstein's Mass was nominated for a Grammy award and the 3 opera Set of Ernst Krenek received the ECHO Klassik Award 2005 for the best opera recording.
www.dso-berlin.de
Touring
Ingo Metzmacher
