Archive Dive into the archive

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Christian Øland is one of the Nordic countries' greatest conductor talents. He is appointed new Musical Director of Theater Magdeburg from 2025-2026. He has conducted orchestras such as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Swedish Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Magdeburg Philharmoniker, the Slovak State Philharmonic, Wermland Opera, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra and the Jönköping Sinfonietta. In Denmark, he often conducts the Copenhagen Phil and the Sønderjylland Symphony Orchestra. As an opera and ballet conductor, Christian Øland has conducted The Nutcracker at the Royal Danish Theatre, Mats Ek's famous ballet Juliet & Romeo at the Royal Stockholm Opera, John Neumeier's autobiographical ballet with the Hamburg Ballet, and a production of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Helsinki Sinfonietta. Øland has also worked as an assistant conductor at the Nylivka Opera Festival in Finland. At the age of 18, Christian Øland was accepted into the Sibelius Academy, and was later appointed assistant conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 2016 he received the Carl Nielsen Talent Award.

Andreas van Tol (formerly Hansson) was the 2021 winner of the Neeme Järvi prize. He made his debut as an opera conductor in 2023 with the critically acclaimed production Die Zauberflöte: The Next Generation together with Opera2Day and de Theateralliantie on tour throughout the Netherlands. Andreas van Tol has conducted a large number of international orchestras, including Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Orchester de Chambre de Lausanne, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Het Residentieorkest and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. He has been principal conductor of Polstjärnepriset for several years and was appointed as the orchestra's Artistic Director in 2023.

Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) Flute Concerto Nielsen tailored the music to the intended musician, and since the flutist Holger Gilbert-Jespersen was a tasteful and elegant man with a Gallic temperament, his concert was bright and chamber-musical, but with unexpected outbursts. The music is characterized by vitality and good mood. In a typical Nielsen way, the music eventually finds its way to the right key. Originally it was in D major, but immediately after the premiere on 21 October 1926 at the Salle Gaveau in Paris, the composer reworked the concerto and had it end in E major. The flute has then been out on many tonal excursions and now seems to have difficulty finding home; by chance, the boozy bass trombone enters the game and happens to be right - and therefore also takes credit from the soloist. One readily agrees with the Swiss composer Arthur Honegger, who was present at the premiere of the concert: "It has small dimensions but is filled with beautiful combinations, such as the dialogues between flute and timpani or bassoon. It is piquant, flowing and not without humor."

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Born in Helsinki, Petri Sakari has since 1983 had regular engagements with Finnish orchestras such as the Vaasa City Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Following successful appearances outside Finland, Petri Sakari joined the Iceland Symphony Orchestra as chief conductor in 1988, continuing in various roles up to 1998, also making a number of acclaimed recordings. He was chief conductor of the Lohja Symphony Orchestra from 1993 to 1999, principal guest conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra from 1995 to 1997, and music director and chief conductor of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2004. He has conducted opera and ballet performances at opera houses of Finland, Sweden and Iceland, and also guest conducted orchestras throughout Europe and in São Paolo, Singapore and Mexico City.

Andreas van Tol (formerly Hansson) was the 2021 winner of the Neeme Järvi prize. He made his debut as an opera conductor in 2023 with the critically acclaimed production Die Zauberflöte: The Next Generation together with Opera2Day and de Theateralliantie on tour throughout the Netherlands. Andreas van Tol has conducted a large number of international orchestras, including Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Orchester de Chambre de Lausanne, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Het Residentieorkest and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. He has been principal conductor of Polstjärnepriset for several years and was appointed as the orchestra's Artistic Director in 2023.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Andreas van Tol (formerly Hansson) was the 2021 winner of the Neeme Järvi prize. He made his debut as an opera conductor in 2023 with the critically acclaimed production Die Zauberflöte: The Next Generation together with Opera2Day and de Theateralliantie on tour throughout the Netherlands. Andreas van Tol has conducted a large number of international orchestras, including Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Orchester de Chambre de Lausanne, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Het Residentieorkest and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. He has been principal conductor of Polstjärnepriset for several years and was appointed as the orchestra's Artistic Director in 2023.