About KSO

The KSO is a young and dynamic ensemble undergoing rapid development, consisting of just under 70 full-time musicians from 17 different countries.

Since January 2012, the orchestra has been based in Kilden’s magnificent concert hall, one of Scandinavia’s most impressive acoustic venues, with seating for 1,180 audience members.

Here, audiences from all over Southern Norway can enjoy classical orchestra concerts, crossover productions, family concerts, and special events, such as the Fædrelandsvennen Request Concert, the New Year’s Concerts, Children’s Kilden Day, and the May 17th Concerts.

The KSO is one of the world’s youngest professional symphony orchestras! It was first formed in 2003 following a merger between the former Kristiansand Chamber Orchestra and the Norwegian Armed Forces’ Southern Norway District Band.

Opera and much more

Working closely with Kilden’s other artistic production departments (Kilden , Kilden , and Kilden ), the KSO serves as the orchestra for opera, musical, and ballet productions, as well as for outreach projects such as SPOR and The Christmas Gospel.

KSO and the media

KSO has performed several concerts that have been broadcast on NRK. Many of KSO’s concerts are streamed to nursing homes and other public institutions in Agder via the KDIG platform.

KSO collaborates with several record labels, including NAXOS and CPO.

Music in a smaller format

KSO’s musicians are very active in the field of chamber music. In the run-up to Christmas, the orchestra carries out the “KSO on the Town” project. The orchestra splits into smaller ensembles that perform short concerts at various locations throughout the region, such as hospitals, schools, daycare centers, workplaces, restaurants, and libraries.