A historical precursor orchestra was the Niedersächsisches Sinfonie-Orchester, a radio orchestra that was affiliated with the Nordische Rundfunk Aktiengesellschaft since the late 1920s. Following World War II, with the founding of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (NWDR), the current orchestra was founded in 1950 originally as the Rundfunkorchester Hannover.[1] Willy Steiner was the first chief conductor, beginning in 1950, and held the post until 1975.[2] During his tenure, the orchestra later changed its name to the Radiophilharmonie Hannover. In 2003, the orchestra took its current name of the NDR Radiophilharmonie.
After Steiner, chief conductors have been Bernhard Klee, Eiji Ōue and Eivind Gullberg Jensen. Since 2009, Ōue has held the title of conductor laureate (Ehrendirigent) with the orchestra. Since 2014, the orchestra's current chief conductor has been Andrew Manze. In March 2017, the orchestra announced the extension of Manze's contract through to 2021.[3] In February 2019, the orchestra announced a further extension of Manze's contract to 2023.[4] Manze concluded his tenure as chief conductor of the orchestra at the close of the 2022–2023 season.[5]
In June 2022, Stanislav Kochanovsky [de] first guest-conducted the orchestra. In July 2023, the orchestra announced the appointment of Kochanovsky as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2024–2025 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.[6]
The orchestra has recorded commercially for such labels as CPO[7][8] and Pentatone.[9]
^Klaus Mlynek, Waldemar R. Röhrbein, Dieter Brosius, Geschichte der Stadt Hannover, page 760, 1994 "Erfolgreicher war die Entwicklung des Rundfunkorchesters Hannover (ROH).8" Gegründet 1950, als das N WDR-Studio Hannover aus der Pädagogischen Hochschule in das neue Funkhaus am Maschsee übersiedelte, erwarb sich der zunächst aus nur 45 ..."
^Mlynek, Klaus; Röhrbein, Waldemar R. (1991). Hannover Chronik (in German). Hannover: Schlütersche. p. 273. ISBN978-3-87706-319-4. WILLY STEINER (65), Dirigent des von ihm nach dem Kriege wiederaufgebauten Rundfunkorchesters Hannover 1950 – 1975 (3. 10.)