Mission Statement of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

We are a world-class orchestra and one of Europe’s leading radio symphony orchestras, with a tradition stretching back over 100 years. Our main venues are the two major concert halls in Berlin that set the highest standard for classical concert culture – the Berlin Philharmonie and the Konzerthaus Berlin. Our diverse programmes are exceptionally demanding and underpinned by great artistic continuity and excellence – most recently under the principal conductors and artistic directors Marek Janowski (2002–2016) and, currently, Vladimir Jurowski (since 2017, with his contract now extended until 2029). Almost all our symphony concerts are broadcast on the radio, notably by Deutschlandfunk Kultur (Deutschlandradio) and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb), the main broadcasters of Rundfunk-Orchester und -Chöre gGmbH, to which we belong as an institution.

At the heart of our work lies a deep-seated passion and enthusiasm for music, which we wish to share with as many people as possible. In doing so, we combine the highest technical and artistic standards with our social mission as a publicly funded radio orchestra: in addition to the classical concert repertoire, we introduce our audience to contemporary or rarely performed works; we regularly commission new works; we collaborate and perform with world-class guest artists from all over the world; through our programming, we continually seek to engage with the social issues of our time; we regularly open our rehearsal centre, the Großer Sendesaal in the rbb’s Haus des Rundfunks, to the public, including for inclusive musical experiences; we take a variety of concert formats out into Berlin’s neighbourhoods; and we offer innovative music education programmes for all age groups.

And there are other things that are very close to our hearts. The RSB stands for the fundamental values of tolerance and mutual respect. Our orchestra brings together musicians from over 20 nations. This cultural diversity gives rise to a special responsibility to safeguard these values. Furthermore, it is important to us to be open and approachable, to engage with our audience, and to foster dialogue – both on a personal level and through the media. The RSB is proud of its warmth, both on and off stage, which is known and appreciated far beyond Berlin’s borders and finds its visible expression in the hugs following the final curtain call.