Berliner Symphoniker

The Berliner Symphoniker is a symphony orchestra based in Berlin. The orchestra commenced its concert activities on September 1, 1967, as the Symphonisches Orchester Berlin. It was renamed to Berliner Symphoniker for the 1992/93 season. The orchestra should not be confused with the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester (BSO, today known as the Konzerthausorchester Berlin).

In 1966, the “Berliner Symphonisches Orchester” and the “Deutsches Symphonieorchester” merged and started their concert activities in 1967 under the new name “Symphonisches Orchester Berlin” (SOB) with their first chief conductor Carl August Bünte in the western part of the city. The SOB took in the so-called “border commuters,” musicians who lived in the western part of the city and had lost their jobs in the eastern part due to the closure of the border after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

In the 1970s, under the artistic direction of Gideon Rosengarten, the introduction of family concerts led to the creation of a new concert format with music educational content. Over the following years, the “SOB” developed a music educational profile as the first Berlin orchestra with concerts in schools and children’s and family concerts.

In 2004, the state of Berlin decided to discontinue financial support, and since then, the orchestra has had to operate without public subsidies.

The orchestra has undertaken numerous international tours, performing multiple times in Asia, Africa, and South America. In 2007, the Berliner Symphoniker was nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for Best Classical Album with their CD “Latin Music.”

Source: Wikipedia