Scottish 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 a Scottish orchestra, administratively based in Glasgow at the RSNO Centre. The RSNO receives support from the Scottish Government. The RSNO performs throughout Scotland, at such venues as:

The current chief executive director of the RSNO is Krishna Thiagarajan. Peter Oundjian is the orchestra's current music director, since 2012.

The precursor ensemble to the RSNO was established in 1843 to accompany the Glasgow Choral Union (today known as the RSNO Chorus). In 1891, the orchestra was recognised formally as the Scottish Orchestra, with George Henschel as the ensemble's first principal conductor under the name of the Scottish Orchestra. In 1950, the orchestra took the name of the Scottish National Orchestra. The orchestra received 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.

The orchestra's longest-serving principal conductor was Sir Alexander Gibson, its first native Scottish principal conductor, from 1959 to 1984. During Gibson's tenure, beginning in 1977, the RSNO's base was at Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow and this space was also used as its recording venue. Gibson was particularly noted for his interpretations of Scandinavian composers, notably Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. His successor, Neeme Järvi, continued this tradition, and also led the orchestra through its first complete Gustav Mahler cycle. Principal conductor from 1984 to 1988, Järvi currently has the title of conductor laureate with the RSNO. Bryden Thomson, the orchestra's second Scottish principal conductor, maintained the Nordic link with a cycle of Nielsen symphonies.

Alexander Lazarev was principal conductor of the RSNO from 1997 to 2005, and now has the title of conductor emertius with the orchestra. Marin Alsop was the RSNO's principal guest conductor from 2000 to 2003, the first woman to hold the title. Garry Walker succeeded Alsop as principal guest conductor, serving from 2003 to 2007. Stéphane Denève was music director of the RSNO from 2005 to 2012. During his tenure, the RSNO recorded music of Debussy and of Albert Roussel, the latter for Naxos.