The WKO was founded in 1946, and its first artistic directors were Franz Litschauer, Heinrich Hollreiser, Paul Angerer, and Carlo Zecchi.
Entremont has continued as the Orchestra's lifetime honorary conductor, leading it on tour and in its matinée subscription series at the Konzerthaus.
In addition, the WKO has continued to invite dual-role artists, including Yehudi Menuhin, Heinz Holliger, Heinrich Schiff, and Ola Rudner.
Heinrich Schiff was chief conductor of the WKO from 2005 to 2008, when he stepped down from the post for health reasons.
Stefan Vladar was the most recent chief conductor of the WKO,[1] from 2008 to 2018.