Officially formed on 14 March 1950 and registered as an amateur ensemble, the Canberra Orchestral Society (COS), held rehearsals in the ante-room of Albert Hall.

[1] In the Netherlands, Kruithof had conducted choirs and orchestras for 16 years;[1] in Canberra, as of June 1954, he worked as a cleaner at the ABC radio transmitter for 2CY.

He brought much needed consistency and stability to the orchestra – and within a couple of years after his arrival, the CSO was back on a solid financial footing.

Dr Nicholas Milton took up the baton as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director in 2007 and his passion, vision and expertise has inspired players and audiences alike.

For the Canberra Centenary season of 2013, the ACT Government enlisted the CSO to perform the world premiere of a commissioned work by Andrew Schultz, Symphony No.