Carnegie Hall

Though relatively new among its distinguished peers, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) was swiftly embraced by the nation’s capital and the wider musical world. The ensemble was founded in 1931 and made its way to Carnegie Hall a decade later under founder and conductor Hans Kindler. Today, it’s one of the nation’s most celebrated orchestras, with a deep connection to its city that extends far beyond the concert hall.

An Orchestra Fit for Our Capital

The NSO represents America in many ways. Its home is at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—a living monument to John F. Kennedy—less than a 15-minute walk from the Lincoln Memorial and America’s most visited national park, the National Mall.

The NSO’s rich history also reflects a commitment to presenting and supporting American artists. Between 1999 and 2008, the NSO performed 16 New York premieres at Carnegie Hall, featuring works by American composers John Adams, John Corigliano, and Joan Tower.

A Continuous Carnegie Hall Connection

While the NSO’s deep connection to Washington, DC is undeniable, its long relationship to Carnegie Hall might be more surprising. Hans Kindler, the orchestra’s founding music director, first brought the orchestra to Carnegie Hall in 1941. Fitting for an ensemble steeped in tradition, the NSO devoted its first piece—Kindler’s orchestral arrangement of Cassadó’s Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi—to the 50th anniversary of Carnegie Hall. (The piece was also featured on the group’s first commercial recording the previous year.)

Ever since, each of the NSO’s music directors—Kindler, Howard Mitchell, Antal Doráti, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Slatkin, Christoph Eschenbach, and Gianandrea Noseda—have had the opportunity to conduct the ensemble at Carnegie Hall. Included in its 59 performances are 34 New York premieres, including Shostakovich’s unpublished Rayok in 1989 and Shchedrin’s Slava, Slava (A Festive Ringing of Bells) in 2013.

A Global View

Italian conductor Gianandrea Noseda has been leading the NSO as its seventh music director since 2017. The orchestra has expanded its reach under his leadership, inking a deal with medici.tv to broadcast two concerts per season to an international audience.

The orchestra also launched a record label in 2020 and has released critically acclaimed recordings of important works conducted by Noseda, including several Beethoven symphonies—part of a complete Beethoven cycle recording project—and George Walker’s sinfonias nos. 1 and 4, with the rest of his sinfonias to be released this year.

An Official Affair

The NSO often participates in events of national and international significance. The orchestra has taken part in presidential inaugurations, ceremonial state affairs, and official holiday celebrations. It plays a prominent role in A Capitol Fourth, a popular Independence Day celebration that has been a PBS hit since 1980. The orchestra also kicks off the popular National Memorial Day Concert with “The Star-Spangled Banner” each year—another widely attended and televised performance.

In 1986, the orchestra became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which now hosts most of the group’s subscription concerts. The Kennedy Center also hosts the Washington National Opera, as well as concerts and events of all genres.

An Educational Epicenter

The NSO has developed a range of programming for the DC community and the wider music world. The group puts on concerts for younger audiences, invites local students to rehearsals, and hosts hands-on “instrument petting zoos” for children to get an up-close look at instruments before concerts. For slightly older audiences, the orchestra hosts open rehearsals, and sends its musicians to local schools and arts programs to deliver performances, master classes, and coachings. Through its NSO In Your Neighborhood program, the group puts on performances in unexpected locations like parks, libraries, and schools.

Top musicians from the country and world also flock to NSO training programs for young, talented vocalists and instrumentalists. The NSO Summer Music Institute is a renowned—and free—program for musicians ages 15–20. For local students, the NSO hosts a free Youth Fellowship Program that offers training with members of the orchestra, access to performances, and opportunities for side-by-side rehearsals.

Since 1931, the NSO has established itself as one of the nation’s most culturally significant ensembles. It’s backed this up with dozens of performances at Carnegie Hall, where the group has consistently brought high-caliber playing and innovative programming. Beloved by concertgoers and championed by its community, the NSO is sure to be welcomed at Carnegie Hall for years to come.

Photography: National Symphony Orchestra by Stephanie Berger, all other images courtesy of the Carnegie Hall Rose Archives.