Götaplatsen Göteborgskalaset: Summer Concert with the Gothenburg Symphony

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.

Franco-British Stephanie Childress is passionate about cross-over projects in music, film and the performing arts. This summer she collaborates with director Tom Morris on The Mahler Project in London, a semi-stageing of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. During the season, she made her debut with the L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl, followed by guest appearances at The Juilliard School. She continues her position as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona. Childress has been praised for her interpretations of Mozart operas, and will make her debut at the Paris Opera in 2027. She was assistant conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2021-2023 and was one of the first to be accepted into the training academy at the Paris National Opera.

Endre Rydland Vetås grew up on Radøy outside Bergen and took his first steps in music life within the local brass band movement. He later studied at the Norwegian Academy of Music under Aline Nistad. Vetås established himself professionally early. At the age of 19, he was hired as a solo trombonist in the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he moved to Sweden and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, where he has been the orchestra's solo trombonist since spring 2025. In addition to his regular orchestral work, Vetås appeares as soloist, is an active chamber musician and has toured Europe with the Nordic Brass Ensemble. He is also a regular guest in the contemporary music ensemble called Gageego!. Endre Vetås is passionate about the next generation of trombonists and is committed to young talents, including through YOMA (Young Musicians Academy) in Vänersborg.