Founded in 1908, the world-renowned Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia has been conducted by some of the major musical figures of the 20th century, including Sibelius, Mahler, and Strauss, and later Riccardo Muti, Valery Gergiev, and Kurt Masur.

Sir Antonio Pappano has been Chief Conductor of the Orchestra dell' Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia since 2005. The highly successful collaboration has brought the Orchestra to music festivals like the Proms in London and the Lucerne and Salzburg Festivals, as well as concert halls including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Philharmonie in Berlin, and the Musikverein in Vienna. The Orchestra has its home in the impressive Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome.