Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

The story of Göteborgs Symfoniker (the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra) demonstrates how an orchestra can successfully build and develop a world reputation while sustained by its local community roots. Founded in 1905 in Sweden’s second-largest city, the orchestra first rose to prominence under Wilhelm Stenhammar: the Swedish composer, conductor and pianist was principal conductor from 1907-22, a time when Sibelius and Nielsen regularly visited to conduct their own music. The year 1935 saw the opening of Göteborgs Konserthuset with its wood-panelled main auditorium, remarkable for its streamlined modernist design and exceptional acoustic properties. Among the orchestra’s principal conductors in the following decades were the African-American Dean Dixon (1963-70) and Estonia’s Neeme Järvi (1992-2004). Järvi’s extensive touring and recording with the orchestra secured its world reputation, while its personnel increased from 80 to 110 players, backed by long-term sponsorship by the Gothenburg-based Volvo automotive group. In 2017, Finland’s Santtu-Matias Rouval took up the position of the orchestra's chief conductor.