Konzerthausorchester Berlin

The Konzerthausorchester Berlin was founded in 1952 in East Berlin as the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (BSO). Under Kurt Sanderling, who served as Chief Conductor from 1960 to 1977, the ensemble established its distinctive profile and gained international recognition. Following Iván Fischer (2012–18), who remains Conductor Laureate, and Christoph Eschenbach (2019–23), Joana Mallwitz has led the orchestra since 2023. Together they present a broad repertoire from the classical canon to the present; in its “Expedition Concerts” series, selected works are presented with spoken commentary and musical examples. When the Schauspielhaus on Gendarmenmarkt reopened in 1984, the orchestra finally acquired its own venue. A decade later, it was named the resident orchestra of the newly designated Konzerthaus Berlin and, in 2006, adopted its current name. The orchestra presents more than 100 concerts there each year and appears regularly on tour in Germany and abroad. At the Kurt Sanderling Academy, founded in 2010, its musicians train highly gifted young orchestral talent. Bringing music to as broad an audience as possible at the highest level is central to the orchestra’s mission. Initiatives include the “Mittendrin” series, in which audiences are seated among the musicians, online video formats such as the award-winning #klangberlins, and a concert season presented on the web platform Twitch. The orchestra’s close ties to Berlin are reflected in its wide-ranging educational and community work with a diverse network of partners across the city.

May 2026