Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin)
The Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB) is committed to young musicians and a young audience through, among other projects, a wide range of family, school and children’s concerts, work with the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie (its sponsoring orchestra), and with the young musicians in its own ranks (Orchestra Academy).
The RSB also makes studio recordings, often of forgotten repertoire rarities. After the major Wagner and Henze editions with Marek Janowski, a new chapter of recording activity has begun with Vladimir Jurowski. The history of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin goes back to the first musical hour of the German radio in October 1923.
The former principal conductors and musicians Otto Urack, Eugen Jochum, Sergiu Celibidache, Hermann Abendroth, Heinz Rögner and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos in turn shaped an ensemble that has endured the vicissitudes of German history of the 20th century in a unique way.
In the 21st century, Marek Janowski (2001 until 2016) was succeeded in 2017 by Vladimir Jurowski, who as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director is leading the orchestra’s soon to more than 100-year tradition into the future. Since 1923, important contemporary composers have appeared on the podium of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, or have performed their own works as soloists: Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Sergei Prokofjew, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schönberg, Igor Strawinsky, Kurt Weill, and Alexander Zemlinsky as well as more recently Krzysztof Penderecki, Jörg Widmann, Matthias Pintscher, Marko Nikodijević and Jelena Firssowa. All of the RSB’s symphony concerts are broadcast on radio thanks to its close ties to Deutschlandfunk and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb). The RSB also has a strong national and international live presence. For over 50 years, the RSB has been giving regular guest performances in Japan and Korea as well as at German and European festivals and in musical centres worldwide.
