RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra

In 1926, a national radio channel began, based in Dublin. It hired staff musicians, who often played together on the radio and in concert as a chamber orchestra. The original group was gradually expanded during the 1930s and '40s and by 1946 had reached 40 musicians. Early conductors included Vincent O'Brien and, from 1941, Michael Bowles, guest conductors included Aloys Fleischmann and Frederick May. Often called the 'Station Orchestra', many (albeit not regular) public concerts were given and broadcast live from venues such as the Mansion House, Metropolitan Hall and Capitol Theatre.

In 1948, the broadcasting authority, now called Radio Éireann (Radio Ireland), expanded the orchestra to symphonic size by opening its membership to musicians from all over Europe. Ireland, as a neutral country during World War II, had been spared damage, so musicians from the wrecked economies of a ruined Europe were easy to attract. The new orchestra was named the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra. After Michael Bowles' involuntary retirement, the new orchestra worked for a while without a permanent conductor, commissioning major guest conductors instead such as Jean Martinon and Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt. In 1953, the orchestra found a principal conductor in Milan Horvat, who remained until 1956. In 1961, Ireland added television to its broadcasting service. The name of the new organisation was to be Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ). The orchestra became known as the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra (RTÉSO). By now it was, de facto, the national orchestra of Ireland. Its new chief conductor from 1961 was Tibor Paul.

In 1981, the RTÉSO found a new home when the National Concert Hall opened in Dublin. Also, at about the same time, it expanded its broadcasting activities. In 1989, the orchestra was again expanded and renamed the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Alexander Anissimov became the orchestra's principal guest conductor in 1995 and principal conductor in 1998. Gerhard Markson succeeded Anissimov in 2001 and was principal conductor through 2009. In May 2009, Alan Buribayev was named the newest principal conductor of the orchestra, effective September 2010, with an initial contract of three years. In September 2010, along with Buribayev assuming the principal conductorship, Hannu Lintu became the orchestra's principal guest conductor and Finghin Collins became the orchestra's first-ever Associate Artist.

In 2012, the ninth President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, was announced as sole patron of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Wikipedia