One of the world's oldest symphony orchestras outside Europe and the U.S., the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra has evolved into an ensemble of international significance. In the 21st century, it has toured in the West and been involved in anniversary celebrations for several major halls.
The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1879 as the Shanghai Public Band. Its leader was flutist Jean Rémusat, its members were all immigrant Filipino musicians, and the audiences consisted of Europeans doing business in Shanghai. In 1907, Rudolf Buck took over as conductor; he imported se...