The SWR Symphony Orchestra is based at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart and the Konzerthaus in Freiburg. Building on the traditions of its two predecessor orchestras, the orchestra’s artistic profile encompasses historically informed performance practices, the core Classical and Romantic repertoire, and contemporary music in equal measure. Since September 2025, François-Xavier Roth has served as chief conductor and artistic director of the SWR Symphony Orchestra. Prior to that, Teodor Currentzis served as chief conductor from 2018 to 2024. Among the annual highlights of the orchestra’s concert calendar are the SWR’s own concert series in Stuttgart, Freiburg, and Mannheim, as well as performances at the Donaueschingen Music Festival and the Schwetzingen SWR Festival. The orchestra is regularly invited to perform at the Salzburg Festival, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and in Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Essen, Vienna, Edinburgh, London, Barcelona, Madrid, and Warsaw. Through its extensive music education program, the orchestra reaches approximately 20,000 children, teenagers, and adults annually within the SWR broadcast area. Numerous live broadcasts on SWR Kultur, along with concert streams, allow music lovers worldwide to enjoy the concerts. Since 2024, the SWR Symphony Orchestra has been an official partner of »La Maestra«, the most prestigious international competition for emerging female conductors.

