Praised as "The Orchestral Pearl of the Capital of China," the Beijing Symphony Orchestra (BSO) was established in October 1977, and is a focal point of musical art, performance and culture in China today. The BSO has known worldwide for its impeccable standards, as well as for the depth of its western and Chinese repertoire. The BSO is the Resident Orchestra of the Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing.

As observers, participants and creators of the musical culture of Beijing, the BSO has evolved in parallel with the pace of China’s Reform and Opening-up. Thus, the BSO has grown and matured hand-in-hand with modern Beijing. With its high professional standards combined with a deep passion for the art of music, the BSO has become a pacemaker for the rise and development of serious music in China.

In the 1990s, the BSO underwent significant reform and development under the direction of its Principal Conductor and Music Director, Maestro TAN Lihua. Under Maestro TAN, the BSO maintains an energetic, high-level and creative schedule, performing annually from ninety to one hundred performances, at home and abroad. 

Today, the BSO’s roster of guest conductors, and soloists include first-class maestros such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Evgeny Svetlanov, Christoph Eschenbach, Lawrence Foster, Thomas Sanderling, Leif Segerstam; piano virtuosos such as Lazar Berman, Justus Frantz, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Tzimon Barto, Lang Lang; violin masters such as Vadim Repin, Sara Chang, Midori Goto, Kristof Barati, Sergej Krylov; the cello master Jullian LIoyd Webber; viola master Yuri Bashmet; trumpet virtuoso Gábor Boldoczki; and vocalists such as Placido Domingo, José Carreras and Jennifer Larmore. 

Maestro Christoph Eschenbach was very impressed when, for the first time, he worked with BSO in 2012. Maestro Eschenbach stated, "The BSO is an orchestra of exceptional high professional quality. Their high level of musical understanding, their range, and the quality of their performance made a deep impression on me." 

Over the past decade, the BSO has made international achievements at a level unattainable by most domestic orchestras. In 2001, the BSO established its leadership role by becoming the first Chinese orchestra to go worldwide when it embarked upon its premiere international tour. The BSO has since been invited to perform in many countries, including Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, South Slovenia, and South Korea. In the years 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012, the BSO completed six highly successful European tours. Critics throughout Europe spoke highly and wrote well of these tours. In Germany, for example, the Suddentsche Zeitung praised the both excellence of the BSO’s performance as well as Maestro TAN’s conducting. 

The BSO also assumes an important responsibility in developing and promoting Chinese symphonic music. For example, new works by WANG Xilin, BAO Yuankai, HUANG Anlun, XU Zhenmin, GUO Wenjing, and ZHOU Long have all been premiered and performed by the BSO. By supporting contemporary Chinese composers, the BSO has contributed to the support and development of over two hundred works in the Chinese symphonic repertoire: works that have been presented not only in China, but also worldwide. The BSO has pioneered a relationship with the prestigious EMI recording company, having released eight new and impressive CDs worldwide since 2007. 

The BSO maintains a deep commitment to music education and the popularization of classical and symphonic music. The BSO’s outreach programs to universities, schools, communities, and factories have reached out to enlighten, educate and inform more than a combined audience of over million new listeners during the past twenty years.