Flanders Symphony Orchestra

The Flanders Symphony Orchestra (FSO) is one of Belgium’s leading orchestras. Composed of highly committed and passionate musicians, and led by renowned conductors, the Flanders Symphony Orchestra both commissions and performs new compositions as well as electrifying renditions of the main symphonic repertoire from the classical period onwards. The Flanders Symphony Orchestra fulfills an exemplary role in creating outreach projects, educational projects as well as projects focusing on the development of young and talented musicians, composers, and conductors. The orchestra makes music from both past and present accessible to as wide and diverse an audience as possible in Flanders and beyond. The orchestra was founded in 1960 by engineer Dirk Varendonck, also the orchestra’s first conductor. From 1984 onwards the orchestra was conducted by Patrick Peire, Robert Groslot and Fabrice Bollon. The orchestra went through a thorough reformation in the mid-1990s. Principal conductors have included David Angus, Etienne Siebens, Seikyo Kim and Jan Latham-Koenig. As from the concert season 2019-20, Kristiina Poska is the new chief conductor of the Flanders Symphony Orchestra. Thanks to its own concert series in all major venues of Flanders and Brussels, the orchestra succeeds in reaching a large and loyal audience. In addition, the orchestra is a welcome guest at international venues and festivals. The Flanders Symphony Orchestra is in residence at Muziekcentrum De Bijloke, Ghent (member of the UNESCO Creative Cities of Music Network), and receives support from the Flemish Government and the City of Ghent.