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 The Gulbenkian Orchestra was founded in 1962 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Its current symphonic formation enables the Gulbenkian Orchestra to perform a large repertoire covering the Baroque and Classical periods, the 19th Century music and also compositions by 20th Century composers. The Gulbenkian Orchestra’s programs include compositions rarely played, or even unknown to the general public and also a great number of first performances of works by both foreign and Portuguese contemporary composers, many of which expressly commissioned by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which therefore plays an informative and cultural role of the greatest importance to the public. The Gulbenkian Orchestra performs numerous concerts in Lisbon, as part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s music season, and also plays in cities throughout Portugal. During its existence the Gulbenkian Orchestra visited over 35 countries in 4 continents. The international activities of the Gulbenkian Orchestra have expanded over the years. It made with great success numerous tours in Europe, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Macao, India, Japan and Africa. More recently the Gulbenkian Orchestra visited Germany, Japan, South America, the United States and People’s Republic of China. In September 1998 the Gulbenkian Orchestra was invited to perform a series of concerts in Chong-Qing (People’s Republic of China), and in November of the same year made a tour to several cities in Germany and Switzerland, in both occasions under the direction of Muhai Tang. In October 1999 the Gulbenkian Orchestra made another extensive tour in China with conductor Muhai Tang, with concerts in Suzhou, Shanghai, Wuxi, Nanjing, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, performances that included the world premiere of Three Landscapes for Orchestra by the Chinese composer Xiaoyong Chen (commissioned by the Gulbenkian Foundation), and the Chinese premiere of Three Sketches for Orchestra by the Portuguese composer Joly Braga Santos. Following its appearance in China, the Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir visited Macau, as part of the program of Macau’s last International Music Festival organized by the Portuguese Government in that territory before its handover to the Chinese authorities, playing under conductors Muhai Tang and Michel Corboz. In 2003 the Gulbenkian Orchestra performed in the Kissinger Sommers (Germany) and George Enescu (Romania) Festivals. The Gulbenkian Orchestra was invited to participate in the cycle «Orquestas del Mundo» in Madrid (December 2004), praying the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos with Evgeny Kissin and Lawrence Foster. This project will be also presented in February 2005 in Munich (Philharmonie im Gasteig) and Berlin (Philharmonie). The Gulbenkian Orchestra has played with some of the greatest names in the music world, including the conductors Charles Dutoit, Frans Brüggen, John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Neville Marriner, Alain Lombard, Karl Richter, Claus Peter Flor and Kent Nagano, and the soloists Maria João Pires, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Ivo Pogorelich, Salvatore Accardo, Igor Oistrakh, Isaac Stern, Misha Maisky and Mstislav Rostropovitch, to mention just a few. In the 2001/2002 season collaborated with conductors such as Emmanuel Krivine, Frans Brüggen, Günther Herbig, Gustav Kuhn, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Lawrence Foster, Michel Corboz and Rudolf Barshai and soloists such as David Garret, Elena Prokina, Gianluca Cascioli, Jochen Kowalski, Maxim Vengerov, Mikhail Rudy, Salvatore Accardo and Yung Wook Yoo. The Gulbenkian Orchestra has already made numerous recordings for Philips, Deutsche Grammophon, Erato, Adès, Nimbus, Lyrinx, FNAC Musique, Hyperion and Teldec, six of which dedicated to the Portuguese music. This activity was recognized by several important international prizes. In July 1998 the Gulbenkian Orchestra made a new recording for Deutsche Grammophon with Muhai Tang and the cellist Jian Wang (Haydn Cello Concertos), which was released in October 1999 to much critical acclaim. In May 2000, Orchestra Gulbenkian made another recording with the famous American guitarist Sharon Isbin for Teldec, wich was released in March 2001, presenting first world recordings of Tan Dun and Christopher Rouse’s Guitar Concertos. In March 2002 this recording was distinguished with a Grammy Award in the category of Best Contemporary Composition for Christopher Rouse’s Concert de Gaudi; it was also distinguished with Echo Klassik Prize in the category of Best Concert Soloist. In September 2003 the Gulbenkian Orchestra recorded the two Fanz Anton Hoffmeister’s Alto Concertos with Ashan Pillan and Christopher Hogwood, which was released by Oehm Records (Germany) in February 2004. A new recording of Gulbenkian Orchestra conducted by Muhai Tang was just released by Naïve Classique featuring Fazil Say’s Piano Concerto (who also performs as soloist) and Zhau Jiping’s First Symphony. Muhai Tang was Principal Conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra from 1988 to 2001. Claudio Scimone, who held that position from 1979 to 1986, is Gulbenkian Orchestra’s Honorary Conductor. Lawrence Foster is currently the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra. Daniel Rowland holds the position of Concertmaster since 1999.