The Royal Danish Orchestra has played a dominant role in Danish cultural life for more than 500 years. In 1448, immediately after the Coronation of King Christian I, a Royal corps of trumpeters and drummers was established in Denmark. The present Orchestra has its roots back in that event. The Royal Theatre was opened in 1748, and in 1770 the Orchestra was given a permanent position there and in reality was the only symphony orchestra in Denmark up until 1850. In recent years Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, Sir George Solti, Jerzy Semkov and Michael Tilson Thomas have conducted the Orchestra. The Royal Danish Orchestra has toured with great success in Japan, Australia, England and the Baltic countries. In 1992 the Finnish conductor Paavo Berglund took up the position as artistic director of the Orchestra, and together they recorded Carl Nielsen’s symphonies. With the present artistic director, Michael Schønwandt, the Orchestra has recorded C.E.F. Weyse’s seven symphonies. Both recordings have won awards in Denmark and abroad.