In 1926 was launched a national radio channel based in Dublin. Staff musicians were hired from different areas: wind players from the Army School of Music, string players from the radio and other musicians who often played together in concert or on the radio as a chamber orchestra.
The original group expanded gradually during the 1930s-1940s and gave a few public concerts and live broadcasts from venues like the Capitol Theatre, the Mansion House and the Metropolitan Hall under the officious name of the Station Orchestra.
In 1948, the newly renamed Radio Éireann (Radio Ireland) expanded the orchestra from 40 musicians to symphonic size by opening its membership to the rest of Europe, easily attracting musicians from ruined countries to Ireland, which had been neutral during World War II and spared the destruction endured on the continent.
Conductors of the orchestra included Vincent O’Brien and Michael Bowles. After the latter’s retirement, the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra worked for a while without a permanent conductor and commissioned major guest conductors instead.
In 1953 the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra had found a principal conductor in Milan Horvat, who was succeeded by Tibor Paul, Albert Rosenm Colman Pearce, Bryden Thomson, Janos Fürst, George Hurst, Kasper de Roo, Alexander Anissimov, Gerhard Markson and currently Alan Buribayev.
In 1961, Radio Éireann became Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), adding television to its broadcasting services and the orchestra was renamed RTÉ Symphony Orchestra and in 1979 the RTÉ launched more channels, including an Arts station, FM3, which aired many concerts of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra.
In 1981 the orchestra moved to the National Concert Hall in Dublin and in 1989 it was again expanded and renamed the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
Since 2005 it has been featured on The Symphony Sessions on RTÉ One. They give regular live performances and broadcasts, tour twice a year for one week in Ireland, and work on residential projects from September to May. The orchestra plays a significant role in Irish contemporary classical music through the Horizons series, which features Irish composers and lead a musical discovery educational programme, FORTÉ as well as a mentoring scheme for young musicians.
Moreover, the orchestra gives a series of pre-concert talks (Soundings), lunchtime and late night concerts, open rehearsals, and an annual summer evening and lunchtime concert series in June and July.
In 2011 the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra performed for Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Ireland and in 2012 Michael D. Higgins, the ninth President of Ireland, was announced as sole patron of the orchestra.
The original group expanded gradually during the 1930s-1940s and gave a few public concerts and live broadcasts from venues like the Capitol Theatre, the Mansion House and the Metropolitan Hall under the officious name of the Station Orchestra.
In 1948, the newly renamed Radio Éireann (Radio Ireland) expanded the orchestra from 40 musicians to symphonic size by opening its membership to the rest of Europe, easily attracting musicians from ruined countries to Ireland, which had been neutral during World War II and spared the destruction endured on the continent.
Conductors of the orchestra included Vincent O’Brien and Michael Bowles. After the latter’s retirement, the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra worked for a while without a permanent conductor and commissioned major guest conductors instead.
In 1953 the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra had found a principal conductor in Milan Horvat, who was succeeded by Tibor Paul, Albert Rosenm Colman Pearce, Bryden Thomson, Janos Fürst, George Hurst, Kasper de Roo, Alexander Anissimov, Gerhard Markson and currently Alan Buribayev.
In 1961, Radio Éireann became Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), adding television to its broadcasting services and the orchestra was renamed RTÉ Symphony Orchestra and in 1979 the RTÉ launched more channels, including an Arts station, FM3, which aired many concerts of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra.
In 1981 the orchestra moved to the National Concert Hall in Dublin and in 1989 it was again expanded and renamed the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
Since 2005 it has been featured on The Symphony Sessions on RTÉ One. They give regular live performances and broadcasts, tour twice a year for one week in Ireland, and work on residential projects from September to May. The orchestra plays a significant role in Irish contemporary classical music through the Horizons series, which features Irish composers and lead a musical discovery educational programme, FORTÉ as well as a mentoring scheme for young musicians.
Moreover, the orchestra gives a series of pre-concert talks (Soundings), lunchtime and late night concerts, open rehearsals, and an annual summer evening and lunchtime concert series in June and July.
In 2011 the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra performed for Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Ireland and in 2012 Michael D. Higgins, the ninth President of Ireland, was announced as sole patron of the orchestra.