Radio Svizzera Italiana Orchestra
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (OSI) is the only professional orchestra in Ticino and is one of thirteen orchestras active in Switzerland. It includes 41 permanent members and receives funding from the Canton of Ticino and the Swiss Italian Radio (RSI). Founded in 1935 as the Orchestra della Radiotelevisione della Svizzera italiana, over the years the orchestra has been led by many directors of note, including Ansermet, Stravinsky, Stokowski, Celibidache and Scherchen, and has collaborated with numerous composers including Mascagni, Richard Strauss, Honegger, Milhaud, Martin, Hindemith, and more recently Berio, Henze and Penderecki.
In 1991 the orchestra took on its current name and began to achieve international recognition performing in the most prestigious music halls in cities such as Vienna, Amsterdam, St Petersburg, Paris, Milan and Salzburg. In 1999 there began a close collaboration with Alain Lombard, who had been the principal director and was nominated honorary director in 2005. Since 2008 the orchestra has been engaged in a prestigious collaboration with Mikhail Pletnev, who serves as the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. The OSI is at the heart of two musical seasons organised by Rete Due (concerts at the RSI Auditorium and Concerti d’autunno at the Lugano Palazzo dei Congressi) and participates regularly in the Lugano Festival and Settimane Musicali in Ascona. The orchestra also offers a wide range of concerts throughout the region, including summer concerts that extend to the most distant locations of the Italian Swiss region, family concerts, school concerts and various projects with the Italian Swiss Conservatory.
Photo courtesy of Marco D’Anna
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