The Bern Symphony Orchestra can boast a 149-year tradition as the orchestra of Switzerland’s federal city. Founded in 1877 as the Bernischer Orchesterverein, the BSO is now one of Switzerland’s most important and prestigious orchestras, comprising nearly 100 musicians from over 20 nations. Since 2011, while maintaining its artistic independence, it has shared a roof with the opera, theatre, and ballet companies. The BSO performs over 50 concerts per season and also provides the orchestral support for the opera productions of Bühnen Bern, which have been under the general musical direction of Alevtina Ioffe since 2025.

Starting with the 2024/25 concert season, Krzysztof Urbanski holds the position of Music Director of the Bern Symphony Orchestra. Before him, the orchestra was led by such distinguished conductors as Mario Venzago, Andrey Boreyko, Dmitrij Kitajenko, Charles Dutoit, and Paul Kletzki. Internationally renowned guest conductors—including Herbert von Karajan, Sir Neville Marriner, Eliahu Inbal, Susanna Mälkki, Jaap van Zweden, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Simone Young, Klaus Mäkelä, Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla, and James Conlon—have shaped and continue to shape the orchestra.

World-class soloists such as Sol Gabetta, Hilary Hahn, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Daniel Barenboim, Frank-Peter Zimmermann, Martha Argerich, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and Emmanuel Pahud, as well as rising stars of classical music like Kian Soltani, Regula Mühlemann, Vilde Frang, and Alexandre Kantorow, among many others, contribute to the Bern Symphony Orchestra’s reputation far beyond Switzerland’s borders