The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. The orchestra has performed full-time since 1950, when it took the name Scottish National Orchestra. It was awarded royal patronage in 1977. It continued to use the name 'Scottish National Orchestra' until 1991 when it briefly used the title Royal Scottish Orchestra before changing to its present name. It is based in Glasgow and supported by the Scottish Government. 　　Formed in 1843 to accompany the Glasgow Choral Union (today known as the RSNO Chorus) and recognised formally in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra. For four years in 1900–04, the composer Gustav Holst served in the orchestra as a trombonist 　　Its longest serving conductor was Sir Alexander Gibson under whose baton the orchestra became known for its interpretations of Scandinavian composers, notably Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. This was consolidated in the tenure of Neeme Järvi, who also led the orchestra through its first complete Gustav Mahler cycle. The second Scot to lead the orchestra, Bryden Thomson, maintained the Nordic link with a cycle of Nielsen symphonies.