A world-renowned orchestra

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1902 and Konserthuset Stockholm has been its home since 1926. The orchestra gives around 100 concerts annually and participates in the festivities associated with the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony.

Among guest conductors, we find at the core the orchestra’s Conductor Laureates Alan Gilbert and Sakari Oramo along with Franz Welser-Möst – all three working with the orchestra on a regular basis. Welser-Möst holds the title of Eric Ericson Honorary Chair with the orchestra. Further guest conductors include notable names such as Andris Nelsons, Herbert Blomstedt, Simone Young and Gianandrea Noseda. 

Noted for its ambitious programming, composer festivals with contemporary music and pioneering work on a more gender balanced repertoire, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is very much present in today’s music life. It has made itself an international name through extensive touring. The German newspaper Die Welt once concluded that the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic is “one of the world’s best orchestras”.

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Designate is the prize-winning American Ryan Bancroft, beginning his tenure with the 2023/24 season. Before him, Finnish Sakari Oramo was Chief Conductor from 2008 to 2021. He concluded his tenure with a grand Sibelius festival in May 2021 (still online on Konserthuset Play), and was subsequently named Conductor Laureate.

The orchestra has also received considerable attention for several recordings; among them Carl Nielsen’s symphonies with Sakari Oramo which were critically acclaimed internationally; the recordings of Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3 received a BBC Music Magazine Award 2016. The CD Sirens, with music by Anders Hillborg, won a 2016 Swedish Grammy Award, and the CD Distant Light, with the world-renowned American soprano Renée Fleming, attracted much attention.

Konserthuset Play is the orchestra’s online platform. Launched in 2013 it offers a large selection of filmed performances with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, available for free streaming anywhere in the world. 

”The Konserthuset Play platform offers a digital showcase of the orchestra’s recent outings at home ... an invigorating reminder of what a truly world-class band this is ...” Flora Willson/The Guardian (20 April 2020)