HSO – Uni­ver­sity Symphony Orchestra

The university orchestra training at the HMDK Stuttgart is intended for students in the Bachelor's and Master's programs. Within the university, there is collaboration with the opera school, the soloist, composition, and conducting classes. The goal of the University Symphony Orchestra "HochschulSinfonieOrchesters (HSO)" is to provide professionally oriented orchestral work and the best possible preparation for a future career as an orchestral musician. The HSO also serves a representative function for the HMDK Stuttgart. As the largest ensemble, the symphony orchestra is at the center of the professional orchestral training at the Stuttgart university. Following intensive rehearsal periods, the symphony orchestra performs symphony concerts in the concert hall of the HMDK and regularly participates in productions of the opera school at the university-owned Wilhelma Theater. The university orchestra made a lasting impression with performances of Mahler's 2nd Symphony (2019), Bruckner's 8th Symphony (2022), and Shostakovich's 4th Symphony (2024) at the Stuttgart Liederhalle under the direction of Prof. Rasmus Baumann.

The repertoire ranges from Baroque music to Contemporary music. In terms of professional preparation, the focus is on the standard repertoire in the German-speaking opera and orchestra scene. The symphony orchestra alternates between collaborating with professional soloists and teachers from the university, as well as with students in concert exams or graduates of the soloist class who qualify for a concert with the HSO through an audition with a piece of their choice. The programming aims for a sensible balance of all repertoire areas over a period of three to four years.

Guest conductors with special musical and educational profiles are regularly invited to collaborate with the HSO. These have included Lothar Zagrosek, Sir Roger Norrington, Nicolás Pasquet, Morten Schuldt-Jensen, Jorma Panula, Sylvain Cambreling, and Dan Ettinger. Prof. Rasmus Baumann has been the overall director of the HSO since 2019.