was established in 1949. Two internationally reputed personalities, V. Talich (1949 – 1952) and Ľ. Rajter (1949 – 1976) stood at the orchestra’s birth. Other chief conductors who have played an important role in the orchestra’s musical evolution include T. Frešo, L. Slovák, L. Pešek, V. Verbickij, B. Režucha, A. Ceccato, O. Lenárd, J. Bělohlávek, V. Válek, P. Feranec, E. Villaume a J. Judd. In the 2020/2021 season, Daniel Raiskin took up the position of Chief Conductor.
Among the many guest conductors who have worked with the Slovak Philharmonic over the years, international personalities like J. Ferencsik, W. Rowicki, V. Smetáček, K. Ančerl, F. Konwitschny, A. Jansons, V. Neumann, H. Abendroth, A. Pedrotti, Sir E. Goossens, Sir M. Sargent, R. Benzi, K. Masur, Sir Ch. Mackerras, C. Zecchi, S. Baudo, C. Abbado, K. Sanderling, Z. Košler, R. Muti, K. Richter, K. Kondrašin, L. Segerstam, A. Lombard, S. Celibidache, T. Sanderling, O. Danon, M. Rossi, N. Järvi, K. Kobayashi, J. Svetlanov, M. Jansons, Ch. von Dohnányi, D. Kitajenko, O. Suitner, J. Conlon, V. Gergiev, A. Rahbari, F. Luisi, Sir Y. Menuhin, P. Schreier, V. Fedosejev, R. Weikert, M. Caridis, P. Steinberg, P. Keuschnig, T. Hanus, J. Hrůša, J. Valčuha, T. Netopil, I. Marin, P. Baleff, G. Pehlivanian, J. Märkl, I. Volkov, W. Marshall, E. G. Jensen, A. Buribayev must be mentioned, as well as composers and performers of self-penned works like J. Martinon, K. Penderecki and A. Khachaturian.
The orchestra has made numerous recordings for radio, television and the music publishers OPUS, Supraphon, Panton, Hungaroton, JVC Victor, RCA, Pacific Music, Naxos and Marco Polo. The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra regularly gives guest performances on leading European stages and festivals, as well as in Cyprus, Turkey, and the USA, and they regularly have concert tours in Japan, South Korea, Oman and United Arab Emirates.
In 2023, the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra went on tour in Japan with pianist O. Scheps and cellist T. Sasanuma. At the end of the year, it toured South Korea with pianist Y. Sunwoo. In February 2024, it performed with pianist L. Marušić in Zagreb and Maribor. In the 2024/2025 season, the orchestra, under the direction of chief conductor D. Raiskin, will make several recordings of works by F. Schmidt, E. Dohnányi, and J. N. Hummel. It will perform at the opening concert of the Špilberk Festival and will once again appear at the Swiss festival Murten Classics. Significant international activities include concerts at Liederhalle Stuttgart, the Cologne Philharmonie, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. The Slovak Philharmonic will also perform in Slovak cities (Piešťany, Ružomberok, Nitra) and will conclude the season at the festival in Český Krumlov with world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov.