The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra (ASSO) was founded in 2005 by conductor Sergey Smbatyan, who is also its Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. The most famous concert halls have welcomed the ASSO in Germany, the Great Britain, France, Russia, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, Italy, Lebanon, Dubai and other countries, such as Opera Garnier (Paris), Konzerthaus (Berlin), The Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), Musikverein (Vienna), Teatro Real (Madrid), Dr. Anton Philipszaal (Hague), Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels), Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and Great Hall of Conservatory (Moscow), Dubai Opera House and more.

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, IBA, which celebrated its 80th anniversary last season, was founded as the Palestine Broadcasting Service Orchestra in the late 1930s. In 1948 it became the national radio orchestra and was known as the “Kol Israel Orchestra”. In the 1970s, the orchestra was expanded into the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Broadcasting Authority. As a radio symphony orchestra, the majority of the concerts which the orchestra holds at its resident hall – the Henry Crown Auditorium – are being recorded and broadcasted over IBA’s Kol Ha’musika station.