Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra from Stavanger
, Norway
. The SSO gives concerts primarily in the Stavanger Konserthus. The SSO is scheduled to take up residence in the new Nytt konserthus i Stavanger IKS in September 2012.
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation founded the orchestra in 1938 as the Stavanger musikerforenings orkester, for radio broadcasts. The orchestra's first artistic leader was the violinist Gunnar Knudsen, from 1938 to 1945. In 1965, the orchestra's name was changed to the Symfoniorkestret i Stavanger, and again in 1982 to its present name.
The American conductor Steven Sloane
became the SSO's chief conductor in 2007, having been named to the post in May 2006, with an initial contract of 4 years. Sloane is scheduled to conclude his Stavanger tenure in 2013. In September 2011, the SSO announced the appointment of Christian Vásquez
as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2013-2014 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. In addition to its chief conductor, the SSO has appointed conductors with a formal principal responsibility for early music programming, including Frans Brüggen
(1990-1997), Philippe Herreweghe
, and since 2006, Fabio Biondi
.
The SSO has recorded commercially for such labels as BIS, including music of Harald Sæverud
, Geirr Tveitt
and Fartein Valen
.
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The SSO gives concerts primarily in the Stavanger Konserthus. The SSO is scheduled to take up residence in the new Nytt konserthus i Stavanger IKS in September 2012.
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation founded the orchestra in 1938 as the Stavanger musikerforenings orkester, for radio broadcasts. The orchestra's first artistic leader was the violinist Gunnar Knudsen, from 1938 to 1945. In 1965, the orchestra's name was changed to the Symfoniorkestret i Stavanger, and again in 1982 to its present name.
The American conductor Steven Sloane
Steven Sloane
Steven Sloane is an American-born conductor based in Germany.He has been musical director of the Symphony Orchestra in Bochum since 1994. He is also musical director of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Stavanger, Norway, a post he has held since 2007.In August 1999, Sloane was appointed Music...
became the SSO's chief conductor in 2007, having been named to the post in May 2006, with an initial contract of 4 years. Sloane is scheduled to conclude his Stavanger tenure in 2013. In September 2011, the SSO announced the appointment of Christian Vásquez
Christian Vásquez (conductor)
Christian Vásquez is a Venezuelan conductor and violinist.Vásquez began to study violin at age 9, after being accepted to the El Sistema program in Venezuela, and he played in the Sinfónica Infantil de San Sebastián de los Reyes. In 2001, he began conducting studies with José Antonio Abreu...
as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2013-2014 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. In addition to its chief conductor, the SSO has appointed conductors with a formal principal responsibility for early music programming, including Frans Brüggen
Frans Brüggen
Frans Brüggen is a well-known Dutch conductor, recorder player and baroque flautist.-Biography:Brüggen studied recorder and flute at the Amsterdam Muzieklyceum. He also studied musicology at the University of Amsterdam. In 1955, at the age of 21, he was appointed professor at the Royal...
(1990-1997), Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe is a Flemish conductor.In his school years at the University of Ghent, Herreweghe combined studies in medical science and psychiatry with a musical education at the Ghent Conservatory, where Marcel Gazelle, Yehudi Menuhin's accompanist, was his piano teacher...
, and since 2006, Fabio Biondi
Fabio Biondi
Fabio Biondi is an Italian violinist and conductor.Born in Palermo, Sicily, Biondi began his international career at the age of 12 playing a concerto with the RAI Symphony Orchestra. When he was 16, he performed Bach's violin concertos at the Musikverein in Vienna...
.
The SSO has recorded commercially for such labels as BIS, including music of Harald Sæverud
Harald Sæverud
Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud was a Norwegian composer. He is most known for his music to Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Rondo Amoroso, and the Ballad of Revolt . Sæverud wrote nine symphonies, and a large number of pieces for solo piano...
, Geirr Tveitt
Geirr Tveitt
Geirr Tveitt, born Nils Tveit was a Norwegian composer and pianist. Tveitt was a central figure of the national movement in Norwegian cultural life during the 1930s.-Early years:...
and Fartein Valen
Fartein Valen
Olav Fartein Valen was a Norwegian composer and musical theorist, notable for his work within atonal polyphonic music.-Background:...
.
Artistic leaders and Chief Conductors
- Gunnar Knudsen (1938-1945)
- Karsten Andersen (1945-1963)
- Bjørn Woll (1963-1989)
- Alexander Dmitriev (1990-1998)
- Ole Kristian RuudOle Kristian RuudOle Kristian Ruud is a Norwegian conductor.He studied clarinet with Richard Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy and made his debut in Oslo with the National theater...
(2000-2002) - Susanna MälkkiSusanna MälkkiSusanna Mälkki is a Finnish conductor. Trained as a cellist as a pupil of Hannu Kiiski, she later studied conducting with Jorma Panula, as well as Eri Klas and Leif Segerstam, at the Sibelius Academy. She has also studied at London's Royal Academy of Music...
(2002-2005) - Steven SloaneSteven SloaneSteven Sloane is an American-born conductor based in Germany.He has been musical director of the Symphony Orchestra in Bochum since 1994. He is also musical director of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Stavanger, Norway, a post he has held since 2007.In August 1999, Sloane was appointed Music...
(2007-present)
Early music programme directors
- Frans BrüggenFrans BrüggenFrans Brüggen is a well-known Dutch conductor, recorder player and baroque flautist.-Biography:Brüggen studied recorder and flute at the Amsterdam Muzieklyceum. He also studied musicology at the University of Amsterdam. In 1955, at the age of 21, he was appointed professor at the Royal...
(1990-1997) - Philippe HerreweghePhilippe HerreweghePhilippe Herreweghe is a Flemish conductor.In his school years at the University of Ghent, Herreweghe combined studies in medical science and psychiatry with a musical education at the Ghent Conservatory, where Marcel Gazelle, Yehudi Menuhin's accompanist, was his piano teacher...
- Fabio BiondiFabio BiondiFabio Biondi is an Italian violinist and conductor.Born in Palermo, Sicily, Biondi began his international career at the age of 12 playing a concerto with the RAI Symphony Orchestra. When he was 16, he performed Bach's violin concertos at the Musikverein in Vienna...
(2006-present)