The Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester (South Jutland Symphony Orchestra) was established in 1963 and gives concerts in a region consisting of the southern part of Jutland and South Schleswig (Germany), providing an indispensable part of regional cultural life. The orchestra consists of 65 musicians, and it performs about fifty symphony concerts a year. Other activities include church concerts, performances with the Danish National Opera, open air concerts and a comprehensive programme of concerts aimed at young people. In addition several recordings are issued each year.

The orchestra’s repertoire ranges from the baroque to the contemporary. From 1965 to 1980 the chief conductor was Carl von Garaguly. He was followed, from 1997 to 2003, by the English violinist, Iona Brown, former musical director of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, succeeded in 2003 Niklas Willén and from 2006 the Russian conductor Vladimir Ziva. The orchestra has toured in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France and the Faroe Islands and played at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. From 2007 the orchestra has rehearsed and played in the Alsion Concert Hall in Denmark, currently one of the best concert halls in Europe for symphonic music.

Photo courtesy of Claus Thorsted