, where the subscription season is held The orchestra's first concert was on May 8, 1922 at the
Teatro Arriaga, under the direction of maestro
Armand Marsick (nephew of
Martin Pierre Marsick). Principal conductors have been Armand Marsick,
Vladimir Golschmann, Jesús Arámbarri, José Limantour, Antoine de Babier,
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Alberto Bolet, Pedro Pirfano, Urbano Ruiz Laorden and
Theo Alcántara.
Günter Neuhold has been music director and Chief Conductor since 2008. It has also been conducted by
Maurice Ravel,
Jesús Guridi,
Pablo Sorozábal,
Krzysztof Penderecki,
Carmelo Bernaola,
Luis de Pablo,
Ernesto and
Cristóbal Halffter and other composers performing their own works. The BOS was invited to perform at
Mariinski Theatre in
Saint Petersburg, Russia, for the 300th Anniversary of the city. In 1998 it represented the
Basque Country at the World Expo in
Lisbon, and in 1999 it took part in the inauguration of the
Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao. The BOS performs regularly at the National Auditorium in
Madrid and the Musical Fortnight in Donostia, in addition to engagements at the
Santander International Festival,
Paris Festival, and the Religious Music Festival in
Cuenca. == Principal conductors ==