Plans have been announced for the golden jubilee season of the National Symphony Orchestra. Speaking at the announcement last night, RTE's director general, Mr Bob Collins, said he wanted to stress a commitment "which is absolute" to the future of the orchestra within RTE.
He confirmed RTE's intention to establish the station's performing groups as a separate entity under a new director of music. This is the same proposal which last June was condemned by SIPTU on behalf of its NSO members as "completely at variance with proposals to restructure the NSO as a separate entity".
Mr Collins also said he expected RTE's new music and arts radio channel to be in service by January 1999.E greater scope to feature the work of its various music groups in its broadcast output.
The jubilee season will open on November 7th with a performance of Mahler's Second Symphony under principal conductor Kasper de Roo, and a special concert (no details given) is planned for February 14th, 1998, 50 years to the day after the concert which officially marked the establishment of what was then the Radio Eireann Symphony Orchestra.
