Nearly two decades after the creation of the first Radio Romania musical ensemble – the National Radio Orchestra (1928) – the need for a new orchestra to contribute to the musical recording fund became apparent. Thus, was born in 1947, the Studio Orchestra of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting, which since 1990 has been known as the Radio Chamber Orchestra. 

The ensemble’s activity has involved a combination of special studio recordings – intended for radio broadcasts –  and presence on the concert stage. Under the baton of important Romanian conductors such as Constantin Silvestri, Mendi Rodan, Constantin Bobescu, Carol Litvin, Ludovic Bács, Cristian Brâncuși, the Radio Chamber Orchestra has tackled a very vast and diversified repertoire, from Baroque and Classicism to the music of the 20th century. 

An essential aspect of the orchestra’s management strategy is the promotion of young Romanian conductors and performers. Also, a specific element of the Radio Chamber Orchestra’s activity is the promotion of lesser known works, in first Romanian hearing, as well as the frequent performance of works by Romanian composers. 

Some of the important events in which the Radio Chamber Orchestra has been involved in recent years are the Bach-250, Haydn, Schubertiada, Mozart-250, Händel & Haydn festivals, the five editions of the International Guitar Festival, the International Bandoneon and Accordion Festival, the Radio Organ Evenings Festival and others.

Among the important Romanian artists who have linked their names to the Radio Chamber Orchestra are conductors Horia Andreescu, Marco Balderi, Gabriel Bebeșelea, Jean Pierre Berlingen, Francois Xavier Bilger, Amaury du Closel, Iosif Conta, Peter Csaba, Lawrence Foster, Christopher Wareen Green, Leonid Grin, Cristian Mandeal, Camil Marinescu, Paul Meyer, Milen Nachev, Thomas Rösner, Gerd Schaller, Tiberiu Soare, Ralf Sochaczewsky, Neil Thomson, Gian Luigi Zampieri, Jin Wang and others. a.

Romanian artists appreciated in Romania and on the international scene have also performed with the Radio Chamber Orchestra: Cristina Anghelescu, Dana Borșan, Viorica Cortez, Ileana Cotrubaș, George Crăsnaru, Ruxandra Donose, Teodora Gheorghiu, Valentin Gheorghiu, Daniel Goiți, Dan Grigore, Nicolae Herlea, Dan Iordăchescu, Silvia Marcovici, Mihaela Martin, Horia Mihail, Eugenia Moldoveanu, Mariana Nicolesco, Adina Nițescu, Aurelian Octav Popa, Liviu Prunaru, Răzvan Suma, Eduard Tumagian, Alexandru Tomescu, Mihaela Ursuleasa, Lory Wallfsch, Bogdan Zvorișteanu, etc.

Among the foreign musicians who have appeared on the Radio Romania ensemble’s billboards over the years are: Emanuel Abbühl, Dmitri Alexeev, Yossi Arnheim, Claudi Arimany, Pierre-Yves Artaud, Brigitte Balley, Igor Bezrodnii, Gabriel Bianco, Daniel Blumenthal, Vladimir Bunin, Grace Bumbry, Richard Galliano, Lorenzo Gatto, Elina Garanča, David Grimal, Rivka Golani, Natalia Gutman, Monique Haas, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Misha Maisky, Carlo Marchione, Dominique Merlet, Alexis Mouzourakis, Vasso Papandoniou, Michel Portal, Susana Prieto, Hiroko Sakagami, Peter Soave, Pavel Steidl and many others. 

Scores recorded for the first time and numerous other creations recorded in the studio honour the Radio Romania ensemble, such as the Complete Concertos for Piano and Orchestra by W.A. Mozart, in the interpretive version of pianist Dana Borșan, a discographic event in absolute premiere in the history of Romanian music.