Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO)
Orchestra
Official Royal Scottish National Orchestra logo
Former name	Scottish Orchestra Scottish National Orchestra Royal Scottish Orchestra
Founded	1891
Location	Glasgow, Scotland
Principal conductor	Peter Oundjian
Website	www.rsno.org.uk

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. The orchestra has performed full-time since 1950, when it took the name Scottish National Orchestra. It was awarded royal patronage in 1977. It continued to use the name 'Scottish National Orchestra' until 1991 when it briefly used the title Royal Scottish Orchestra before changing to its present name. It is based in Glasgow and supported by the Scottish Government.

Formed in 1843 to accompany the Glasgow Choral Union (today known as the RSNO Chorus) and recognised formally in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra. For four years in 1900–04, the composer Gustav Holst served in the orchestra as a trombonist

Its longest serving conductor was Sir Alexander Gibson under whose baton the orchestra became known for its interpretations of Scandinavian composers, notably Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. This was consolidated in the tenure of Neeme Järvi, who also led the orchestra through its first complete Gustav Mahler cycle. The second Scot to lead the orchestra, Bryden Thomson, maintained the Nordic link with a cycle of Nielsen symphonies.

The RSNO's base is at the purpose-built RSNO Centre. From 1977 to 2015 the RSNO's base was at Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow and this space was also used as its recording venue. The RSNO also performs throughout Scotland, at such venues as the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Usher Hall (Edinburgh), Caird Hall (Dundee), Aberdeen Music Hall, Perth Concert Hall and Eden Court Inverness.