Brussels Philharmonic

The Brussels Philharmonic is a Belgian orchestra located in Brussels. Formerly known as the BRT Philharmonic Orchestra, and later as the Flemish Radio Orchestra, the orchestra has been linked to the Flemish public broadcaster NIR/INR (the present VRT).

The orchestra was founded in 1935 as a studio ensemble of public broadcasting with the name of Groot Symfonie-Orkest. In 1998, it began its independent existence as the VRT Radio Orkest (Flemish Radio Orchestra). From 2008, the orchestra took the new name of the Brussels Philharmonic. Since 2005, the residence of the orchestra is Studio 4 of the renovated Place Flagey in Brussels. The orchestra also gives concerts in the BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts. The orchestra also plays elsewhere in Flanders, in Bruges, Gent, Leuven, and Hasselt. The orchestra also performs as accompanying ensemble with the Royal Ballet of Flanders.

The orchestra's prior chief conductor from 2008 to 2015, Michel Tabachnik, now has the title of Conductor Emeritus of the orchestra. The orchestra's current chief conductor is Stéphane Denève, as of the 2015-2016 season. One new initiative scheduled for 's tenure is the establishment of CffOR (Centre for Future Orchestral Repertoire), for commissioning new compositions.

Since 2000, the orchestra is the official partner of the Film Fest Ghent. The Brussels Philharmonic has a residency at the Cité de la Musique in Paris. It has partnered with the Festival Musica in Strasbourg and the Festival de Besançon.

Since 2011, Brussels Philharmonic has been producing recordings through its own label, Brussels Philharmonic Recordings.

Other CD series include CDs for Radio Klara and recordings for the French center of Romantic music, Palazzetto Bru Zane.

The orchestra has notably recorded the scores for The Aviator, composed by Howard Shore, and The Artist, composed by Ludovic Bource. Wikipedia