Stavanger Symphony Orchestra

The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (Norwegian: Stavanger Symfoniorkester, SSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Stavanger, Norway. The SSO principal venue is the Stavanger Concert Hall (Stavanger konserthus), performing in the Fartein Valen concert hall.

The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation founded the orchestra in 1938 as the Stavanger musikerforenings orkester, for radio broadcasts. The orchestra's first artistic leader was the violinist Gunnar Knudsen, from 1938 to 1945. In 1965, the orchestra's name was changed to the Symfoniorkestret i Stavanger, and again in 1982 to its present name.

Past artistic leaders of the orchestra have included Susanna Mälkki (2002-2005), and more recently the American conductor Steven Sloane (2007-2013). In September 2011, the SSO announced the appointment of Christian Vásquez as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2013-2014 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. In addition to its chief conductor, the SSO has appointed conductors with a formal principal responsibility for early music programming, including Frans Brüggen (1990-1997), Philippe Herreweghe, and since 2006, Fabio Biondi.

The SSO has recorded commercially for such labels as BIS, including music of Harald Sæverud, Geirr Tveitt and Fartein Valen.

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