Honorary Conductor Lahav Shani
Honorary Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra distinguishes itself with its intensely energetic performances, its acclaimed recordings and its innovative audience approach. Founded in 1918, it has claimed its own position among Europe’s most foremost orchestras.
Principal
conductors
After the first pioneering
years, the Rotterdam Philharmonic developed into one of the foremost orchestras
of the Netherlands under Eduard Flipse, principal conductor from 1930. In the
1970s, under Jean Fournet and Edo de Waart, the orchestra gained international
recognition. Valery Gergiev’s appointment heralded a new period of bloom, which
continued with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and with Lahav Shani, principal conductor
from 2018 till 2026.
Concerts
Home of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is De Doelen Concert Hall, but the
orchestra can frequently be heard in other locations – from the local venues to
the most prestigious halls at home and abroad. Since 2010, the Rotterdam
Philharmonic has been a resident orchestra of the Paris Théâtre des
Champs-Elysées. With performances from the local venues to concert halls
worldwide, educational performances and community projects, the orchestra
reaches an annual audience of 150,000 to 200,000, among which a considerable
amount of young people.
Recordings
Since the groundbreaking Mahler recordings with Eduard Flipse in the 1950s, the
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra has made a large number of critically lauded
recordings. At present the orchestra has contracts with Deutsche Grammophon and
BIS Records; in recent years it also recorded for EMI and Virgin Classics. For
the rereleasing of historical recordings the orchestra formed its own label
Rotterdam Philharmonic Vintage Recordings. Live streams of concerts can be seen
regularly via the online platform Medici.tv. During the outbreak of the
coronavirus, the orchestra reached its audience with digital content. Most
notable was a stay-at-home rendition of Beethoven's Ode to Joy, which was
viewed 3 million times and became world news.
