It is one of the country's foremost orchestras,[1] performing more than 5,000 concerts since its inauguration.
[2] The creation of the OSB was an idea of three teachers of the National School of Music – Djalma Soares, Antão Soares and Antônio Leopardi.
Excited by the NBC Orchestra tour of Brazil, under the direction of Arturo Toscanini,[3] they sought maestro José Siqueira to take the initiative.
[4] The inaugural concert was on Thursday, 11 July 1940, a date chosen in honor of the composer Carlos Gomes, his birthday.
As their first artistic director was nominated the Hungarian conductor exiled in Brazil, Eugen Szenkar.