Hans Vonk
Albert van Raalte founded the orchestra in 1945 and served as its first chief conductor. Past chief conductors have included Paul van Kempen, Bernard Haitink, Jean Fournet, Willem van Otterloo, Hans Vonk, and Sergiu Comissiona. Edo de Waart was chief conductor of the RFO from 1989 to 2004 and is now its conductor laureate. Jaap van Zweden was chief conductor and artistic director of the RFO from 2005 to 2012, and now has the title of "honorair gastdirigent" (honorary guest conductor, or principal guest conductor). In August 2010, the RFO announced the appointment of Markus Stenz as its eighth chief conductor, effective from the start of the 2012-2013 season, with an initial contract of three years.