The Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra) is a Spanish orchestra based in Madrid. History Although the orchestra originated as of 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, it was legally founded in 1940, by the merging of Pérez Casas' Filarmónica and the Orquesta Sinfónica of Enrique Fernández Arbós. The first official concert of the newly founded orchestra was in March 1941 at the Teatro María Guerrero in Madrid, conducted by the Portuguese conductor Pedro de Freitas Branco (1896–1963). The principal conductors of the first years of the orchestra were Ernesto Halffter, José María Franco, Enrique Jordá, Eduard Toldrà and Jesús Arámbarri, until the designation of the first principal conductor of the orchestra, Bartolomé Pérez Casas. After the death of Pérez Casas, the new principal conductor was Ataúlfo Argenta, who was in the orchestra from 1945 as the keyboard instruments player. In 2014, David Afkham became principal conductor of the orchestra. In February 2019, the orchestra announced the elevation of Afkham's title to chief conductor and artistic director, effective with the 2019-2020 season. In January 2023, the orchestra announced an extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026. Principal conductors Bartolomé Pérez Casas (1942–1947) Ataúlfo Argenta (1947–1958) Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (1962–1978) Antoni Ros-Marbà (1978–1981) Jesús López-Cobos (1984–1989) Aldo Ceccato (1991–1994) Josep Pons (2003–2011) David Afkham (2014–2019, principal conductor; 2019–present, chief conductor and artistic advisor) See also Madrid Symphony Orchestra Community of Madrid Orchestra National Auditorium of Music RTVE Symphony Orchestra Queen Sofía Chamber Orchestra Teatro Real Teatro Monumental Zarzuela References External links Official homepage of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España Luis Mario Fraile, 'Orquestas en España: Predominio de las sinfónicas'. La factoria del ritmo website, 1 November 1995 Musical groups established in 1940 Spanish orchestras Culture in Madrid National orchestras 1940 establishments in Spain Arts organizations established in 1940