Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has been a part of the city's cultural life since its founding in 1902 as the Stockholm Concert Society. The orchestra is fully international in its orientation, and indeed, except for founder-organizer Tor Aulin, it has never had a Swedish-born conductor. The Stockholm Concert Society, originally "intended primarily for workers," gave its first concert on October 21, 1902. In 1992, when patronage from Sweden's royal family began, the orchestra took on its current name, Kungliga Filharmoniska Orkestern (or Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra). Sakari Oramo was chief conductor from 2008 to 2021 and led many recordings, including a 2022 recording of Ravel's La valse. Ryan Bancroft was selected to replace Oramo, with a term beginning in 2023.