Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

The Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin) is a German symphony orchestra based in Berlin. In Berlin, the orchestra gives concerts at the Konzerthaus Berlin and at the Berliner Philharmonie. The orchestra has also given concerts in other German cities such as Aschaffenburg, Essen, Halle, Oldenburg, and Wiesbaden.

The orchestra was founded in 1923 as a radio orchestra, and is the oldest active radio orchestra in Germany. Bruno Seidler-Winkler was the first chief conductor, from 1926 to 1932. During its early years, the orchestra had a reputation for its work with contemporary, 20th-century composers. Composers who guest-conducted the orchestra included Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky, as well as Krzysztof Penderecki, Walter Schartner and Udo Zimmermann. After the 1949 division of Germany, the orchestra was under the supervision of Rundfunk der DDR (DDR Radio).

In September 2015, the orchestra announced the appointment of Vladimir Jurowski as its chief conductor, effective with the 2017–2018 season.[1][2] In April 2019, the orchestra announced the extension of Jurowski's contract as chief conductor through the 2022–2023 season.[3] Also in April 2019, the orchestra announced the appointment of Karina Canellakis as its next principal guest conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season. She is the first female conductor to be named principal guest conductor of the orchestra.[4]

The orchestra has recorded commercially for such labels as Pentatone, including ten operas of Richard Wagner with Janowski conducting,[5][6][7] and the Symphony No 3 of Alfred Schnittke with Jurowski. Other recordings include the piano concerto by Max Reger for Hyperion,[8] and Die Ersten Menschen of Rudi Stephan, for CPO.[9]