The Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin (RSB)
dates back to the first hour of music broadcasting by Deutscher Rundfunk in October 1923. The orchestra’s chief conductors (incl. Sergiu Celibidache, Eugen Jochum, Hermann Abendroth, Rolf Kleinert, Heinz Rögner, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Marek Janowski) have all helped to create a body of sound that shares the changing circumstances of 20th century German history in a very special way. Ever since its foundation, the RSB has nutured a close relationship with contemporary music. Important 20th and 21st century composers have come to the orchestra’s lectern in person or performed their own works as soloists: Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schönberg, Igor Stravinsky, Kurt Weill, as well as Krzysztof Penderecki, Peter Ruzicka, Heinz Holliger and Jörg Widmann in more recent years.

The RSB is particularly attractive for capable young conductors from the international music scene, with Andris Nelsons, Kristjan Järvi, Yannick Nézet Séguin, Vasily Petrenko, Ludovic Morlot, Jakub Hrůša, Alondra de la Parra and Alain Altinoglu performing in recent years. The orchestra has been performing on important national and international stages for more than 50 years. Alongside regular tours of Taiwan, Korea and Japan, the orchestra also makes guest appearances at European festivals and in German centers of music. As the oldest German radio orchestra, the RSB has won a place in the top tier of European concert orchestras, especially since completing its ten- part concertante Wagner cycle in 2013.

Gerard Schwarz
Internationally recognized for his moving performances, innovative programming and extensive catalog of recordings, American conductor Gerard Schwarz serves as Music Director of the All Star Orchestra and the Eastern Music Festival in addition to Conductor Laureate of the Seattle Symphony. Mr. Schwarz’s latest project, The All-Star Orchestra, features a handpicked ensemble of star players from America’s leading orchestras coming together for an eight episode American Public Television series designed to encourage a greater understanding and enjoyment of classical music.

His considerable discography of nearly 350 showcases his collaborations with some of the world’s greatest orchestras including Philadelphia Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, London Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Tokyo Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New York Chamber Symphony and Seattle Symphony among others.

Schwarz began his professional career as co-principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic and has held leadership positions with Mostly Mozart Festival, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and New York Chamber Symphony. As a guest conductor in both opera and symphonic repertoire, he has worked with many of the world’s finest orchestras and opera companies.

Schwarz, a renowned interpreter of 19th century German, Austrian and Russian repertoire, in addition to his noted work with contemporary American composers, recently completed his final season as music director of the Seattle Symphony in 2011 after an acclaimed 26 years a period of dramatic artistic growth for the ensemble.

In his nearly five decades as a respected classical musician and conductor, Schwarz has received hundreds of honors and accolades including Emmy Awards, GRAMMY nominations, ASCAP Awards and the Ditson Conductor’s Award. He was the first American named Conductor of the Year by Musical America and has received numerous honorary doctorates. Most recently, the City of Seattle and named the street alongside the Benaroya Hall “Gerard Schwarz Place.”