NHK Symphony Orchestra

Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai
The NHK Symphony Orchestra is a Japanese orchestra based in Tokyo, Japan. In Japanese it is written: NHK交響楽団, pronounced: Enueichikei Kōkyō Gakudan. When the orchestra was started in 1926 it was called "New Symphony Orchestra". It was the first large professional orchestra in Japan. Later, it changed its name to "Japan Symphony Orchestra". In 1951 it started to get money from the Japanese radio station NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), so it changed its name again to the name it has now. It is thought of as the best orchestra in Japan. They have played in many parts of the world, including at the BBC Proms in London.
Vladimir Ashkenazy is the orchestra's main conductor (music director) and Charles Dutoit is music director emeritus. Wolfgang Sawallisch is honorary conductor laureate.