In September 1919, the Orchestra of the Philharmonic Company – later to be known as the Oslo Philharmonic − took to the stage for its first public concert in the Norwegian capital. The launch of an independent symphony orchestra was a major event attended by the Royal Family and its fame soon started attracting international stars such as Jean Sibelius and Arthur Nikisch, who both conducted the orchestra in 1921. In the century to follow, the Oslo Philharmonic successfully established itself as one of the major international orchestras, through tours and recordings under the leadership of eminent Chief Conductors, including Herbert Blomstedt, Mariss Jansons, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Vasily Petrenko.

The Oslo Philharmonic inaugurated its 101st season in August 2020 with new chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä, whose first project with the orchestra was a major tour and recording of the complete symphonies of Sibelius on Decca Classics, which received both the Choc Classica Recording of the Year (France) and an Edison Award (Netherlands). The music of Shostakovich has also been core to Mäkelä and the Oslo Philharmonic’s programming from the start of their relationship and they first performed Symphony no. 5 together in 2019. Following numerous performances over the intervening years, they returned to the work this summer for concerts at home, at the Salzburg Festival and Musikfest Berlin. Coinciding with the tour Decca Classics released their first recording of Shostakovich, featuring symphonies Nos 4, 5 and 6.

Shostakovich continues as a main composer focus in their fifth season in Oslo with performances of Symphonies Nos. 1, 11 and 15, whilst the music of Bartók threads through the autumn, with Divertimento and Concerto for Orchestra, which the orchestra also perform at the Vienna Musikverein and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie. Additional season highlights include Andrew Norman’s Play, Anders Hillborg’s new Piano Concerto “MAX” with soloist Emanuel Ax and Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen Suite.

The Oslo Philharmonic performs more than 130 concerts annually with a full orchestra and smaller chamber groups. The orchestra plays music from a wide repertoire, often with internationally renowned soloists and conductors, and regularly tours both domestically and internationally.

In 2021 the Oslo Philharmonic was awarded the Norwegian Audience Development Innovation Award for its extraordinary success and digital commitment through the online concert series Mellomspill (Interlude), launched in response to the pandemic. In 2022 the orchestra was nominated for Gramophone Orchestra of the Year and, together with Klaus Mäkelä, received the Sibelius Prize for outstanding efforts to promote contact between Finnish and Norwegian musical life.