Göteborgs Symfoniker

Göteborgs Symfoniker (The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra) is a Swedish symphony orchestra based in Gothenburg. The GSO is resident at the Gothenburg Concert Hall. The orchestra received the title of the National Orchestra of Sweden (Swedish: Sveriges Nationalorkester) in 1997.

The GSO was founded in 1905, with Heinrich Hammer as its first principal conductor. The composer Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra’s second principal conductor, from 1907 to 1922. In addition to Stenhammar conducting his own works, Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen made regular guest-conducting appearances with the GSO. The orchestra’s fortunes waxed and waned in subsequent years, until the advent of Neeme Järvi as principal conductor, from 1982 to 2004.

Although the GSO has a broad repertoire, it has a special affinity for the works of the Nordic Late Romantic composers, such as Jean Sibelius and Edvard Grieg. During Järvi’s tenure as principal conductor, the longest tenure of any principal conductor in the GSO’s history, its reputation on the world stage was greatly increased, including sponsorships from Volvo and a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. In addition to Deutsche Grammophon, the orchestra has recorded commercially for such labels as BIS.

On 24 March 2018, Göteborgs Symfoniker organised a 40th Anniversary tribute to Kate Bush concert, with singers Jennie Abrahamson and Malin Dahlström, the Gothenburg Symphony vocal ensemble, plus Martin Schaub, Henrik Cederblom, Martin Holmlund and Magnus Boqvist. They performed the songs Breathing, Pi, Sat In Your Lap, And Dream Of Sheep, Under Ice, Army Dreamers, This Woman’s Work, The Man With The Child In His Eyes, The Song Of Solomon, All We Ever Look For, Babooshka, Rubberband Girl, Prologue, Night Scented Stock, Oh England My Lionheart, Mrs. Bartolozzi, Wuthering Heights, Moments Of Pleasure, Jig Of Life, Running Up That Hill, Hounds Of Love, You’re The One, Cloudbusting and Wow.