Residentie Orkest / The Hague Philharmonic
Since its first concert in 1904, the Residentie Orkest / The Hague Philharmonic has grown into one of the Netherlands’ major symphony orchestras. The orchestra was founded by Dr. Henri Viotta, who was also its first principal conductor. It quickly became a port of call for composers like Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky, Max Reger, Maurice Ravel, Paul Hindemith and Vincent d’Indy, as well as guest conductors including Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Leonard Bernstein and Hans Knappertsbusch.


After the Second World War, Willem van Otterloo became chief conductor of the Residentie Orkest from 1949 to 1973. He built up the orchestra’s exceptional reputation by combining its excellent playing with adventurous programming. After Van Otterloo, the chief conductors were (in order) Jean Martinon, Ferdinand Leitner, Hans Vonk, Evgenii Svetlanov and Jaap van Zweden.


The Residentie Orkest is proving that even in the 21st century, symphonic music still has the power and beauty to move a large audience. Its reputation as one of the finest orchestras in Europe makes it an appropriate figurehead for The Hague as a cosmopolitan city of justice, peace and culture. The orchestra performs in concert series ‘at home’ in the Dr. Anton Philipszaal, and in other major concert halls in the Netherlands and abroad. The orchestra also gives regular concerts elsewhere in The Hague, such as the New Year’s concert and open-air concerts in the Zuiderpark. Annual highlights include a concert on a floating stage during The Hague’s Festival Classique, and accompanying productions by De Nederlandse Opera. In 2008 the Residentie Orkest received great critical acclaim for Messiaen’s rarely performed opera ‘Saint François d’Assise’. In September 2009 the Residentie Orkest received enthusiastic response during the China-tour, where concerts were given in Xiamen, Shanghai and Beijing.

Neeme Järvi - Conductor
Born in Tallinn (Estonia). Education Orchestral conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory. Career Founder and artistic director of the Estonian Radio Chamber Orchestra. Principal conductor of the Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Estonia. He has worked with the Berliner Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, Bavarian radio Symphony Orchestra, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and many of the best known Scandinavian orchestras.

Awards Many awards and doctorates, including an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Music in Tallinn, inclusion in the list of ‘Estonians of the Century’, honorary academic titles from Wayne University in Detroit, the University of Aberdeen, Kunglinga Music Academy in Sweden and the University of Michigan.

Positions He emigrated to the United States, where he has conducted the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Honorary conductor and musical advisor to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, musical director emeritus of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, principal conductor emeritus of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Sweden’s national orchestra), principal guest conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and honorary conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Principal conductor of The Hague Philharmonic since 2005. His discography includes more than 440 recordings. In 2010, he became again chief conductor of his first orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.