The precursor ensemble to the RSNO was established in 1843 to accompany the Glasgow Choral Union. In 1891, the orchestra was recognised formally as the Scottish Orchestra, with George Henschel as the ensemble's first principal conductor under that name. 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, the first Scot to be its principal conductor and musical director, from 1959 to 1984, who is also the founder of Scottish Opera. He pioneered overseas tours by the Orchestra, the SNO Junior Chorus and by Scottish Opera. He also became Hon President of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During Gibson's tenure, beginning in 1979, 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 emeritus 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 Records. In January 2011, the RSNO announced the appointment of Peter Oundjian as its next music director, as of the 2012–2013 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. In October 2011, Thomas Søndergård was named the orchestra's principal guest conductor, as of the 2012–2013 season, with an initial contract of 3 years for 3 programmes per year. In 2015, the orchestra took up new residence at the RSNO Centre and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The RSNO's current assistant conductor is Holly Mathieson, since September 2016. Oundjian is scheduled to conclude his tenure as RSNO music director after the close of the 2017–2018 season. In May 2017, the RSNO announced the appointment of Søndergård as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018-2019 season. In June 2017, the RSNO appointed Elim Chan as its next principal guest conductor, effective 2018, following her first guest-conducting appearance with the RSNO in January 2017 and a return engagement a fortnight later as an emergency substitute for Neeme Järvi. In December 2018, the RSNO announced the appointment of Alistair Mackie as its next chief executive, effective April 2019.
The affiliated choruses of the RSNO are the RSNO Chorus and the RSNO Junior Chorus. The RSNO Chorus evolved from a choir formed in 1843 to sing the first full performance of Handel's Messiah in Scotland, in April 1844. In addition to its commitment to the RSNO, the Chorus performs independently and has toured worldwide. The current chorus director is Gregory Batsleer. In 1978, Jean Kidd formed the RSNO Junior Chorus. Since 1994, its director has been Christopher Bell. The RSNO Junior Chorus has a membership of around 400 singers, aged from eight to eighteen. The members learn to sing using the Kodály method.
Recordings
The orchestra has had a long-standing recording contract with Chandos Records, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. The RSNO has also recorded for Naxos Records, most notably in a cycle of Anton Bruckner symphonies with the Georg Tintner, cycles of Arnold Bax symphonies with David Lloyd-Jones, and several recordings of American works conducted by Marin Alsop. With Denève, their first Roussel recording received the Diapason d'Or de l'année for Symphonic Music. The second disc in the series was released in 2008.
