The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France is a French

radio orchestra A radio orchestra (or broadcast orchestra) is an orchestra employed by a radio network (and sometimes television networks) in order to provide programming as well as sometimes perform incidental or theme music for various shows on the network. In ...

, affiliated with

Radio France Radio France is the French national public radio broadcaster. Stations Radio France offers seven national networks: *France Inter — Radio France's "generalist" station, featuring entertaining and informative talk mixed with a wide variety of ...

. The orchestra performs principally at the auditorium of the

Maison de la Radio Maison de la Radio et de la Musique, nicknamed “maison ronde” (“the round house”) is the headquarters of Radio France. It is located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris near the Eiffel Tower. Built in the shape of huge ring 500 meters in c ...

in Paris, along with several concerts at the

Philharmonie de Paris The Philharmonie de Paris () ( en, Paris Philharmonic) is a complex of concert halls in Paris, France. The buildings also house exhibition spaces and rehearsal rooms. The main buildings are all located in the Parc de la Villette at the northeaste ...

History

Radiodiffusion Française Radiodiffusion Française (RDF) was a French public institution responsible for public service broadcasting. Created in 1944 as a state monopoly (replacing Radiodiffusion Nationale), RDF worked to rebuild its extensive network, destroyed during t ...

'' established the orchestra in Paris in June 1937 under the name of the ''Orchestre Radio-Symphonique'', under the auspices of ''Les Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones'' (PTT) and its minister, Robert Jardillier. The orchestra was initially under the direction of Rhené-Baton, who guided the orchestra until his death in 1940. Eugène Bigot subsequently directed the orchestra musicians through the 1944 Liberation. Following World War II, Henry Barraud became director of music for the ORTF, and reorganised the orchestra, appointing Bigot as its music director in 1947. The orchestra performed regularly at the

Salle Érard Salle Érard The salle Érard is a music venue located in Paris, 13 rue du Mail in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. It is part of the hôtel particulier which belonged, from the 18th century, to the family of piano, harp and harpsichord manufact ...

, and later the

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...

in the 1950s. The orchestra was renamed the ''Orchestre Philharmonique de l'ORTF'' in 1964. Bigot continued as music director until his death in 1965. Charles Bruck subsequently became music director, from 1965 to 1970. In 1976, the orchestra was further renamed the ''Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France'', with Gilbert Amy as its new musical director under its new name, and

Emmanuel Krivine Emmanuel Krivine (born 7 May 1947, Grenoble) is a French conductor. Biography The son of a Polish mother and a Russian father, Krivine studied the violin as a youth. He was a winner of the ''Premier Prix'' at the Paris Conservatoire, at age 16. ...

as principal guest conductor. André Jouve was administrator of the orchestra from 1975 to 1981.

Marek Janowski Marek Janowski (born 18 February 1939 in Warsaw) is a Polish-born German conductor. He is currently chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. Childhood Janowski grew up in Wuppertal, near Cologne, after his mother traveled there at the st ...

became principal guest conductor in 1984, and music director in 1989. That same year, the orchestra received its current name, the ''Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France''. Myung-whun Chung served as music director of the orchestra from 2000 to 2015. Chung now has the title of ''directeur musical honoraire'' (honorary musical director) of the orchestra. In September 2015,

Mikko Franck Mikko Franck is a Finnish conductor and violinist. Biography Franck was born in Helsinki. He began learning the violin at the age of 5 and started violin studies at the Sibelius Academy in 1992. The Academy let Franck conduct an orchestra in 19 ...

became the orchestra's music director. In September 2020, the orchestra announced the most recent extension of Franck's contract, through 2025. The orchestra has recorded for such labels as EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, and Alpha.

Names of the orchestra

* Orchestre Radio-Symphonique (1937–1964) * Orchestre Philharmonique de la Radiodiffusion Française (1960–1964) * Orchestre Philharmonique de l' ORTF (1964–1975) * Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (1976–1989) * Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (1989–present)

Music directors

Eugène Bigot Eugène Bigot (28 February 1888 – 17 July 1965) was a French composer and conductor. Life Bigot was born in Rennes, Brittany, and taught at the Conservatoire de Paris where his notable pupils included Émilien Allard, Louis de Froment, Henri ...

(1940–1945; 1947–1965) *

Charles Bruck Charles Bruck (2 May 1911 – 16 July 1995) was a French-American conductor and teacher. Bruck was born in a Jewish family in Temesvár, Banat, then in the Kingdom of Hungary, part of Austro-Hungarian Empire, since 1920 Timișoara in Roman ...

(1965–1970) * Serge Blanc (1973–1975) *

Gilbert Amy Gilbert Amy (born 29 August 1936) is a French composer and conductor. Career Born in Paris, Amy entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1954, where he was taught and influenced by Olivier Messiaen and Darius Milhaud and studied piano with Yvonne Lo ...

(1976–1981) *

Hubert Soudant Hubert Soudant (born 16 March 1946 in Maastricht, Netherlands) is a Dutch conductor. He played the French horn as a youth. He has won prizes in several conducting competitions, including the Besançon Young Conductor Competition and the Karaja ...

(1981–1983) *

(1989–2000) * Myung-Whun Chung (2000–2015) *

(2015–present)

References

External links

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France French-language homepage
{{Authority control French orchestras Radio and television orchestras Radio France Musical groups established in 1937 1937 establishments in France Musical groups from Paris

History

Names of the orchestra

Music directors

See also

References

External links