The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is the oldest surviving professional symphony orchestra and the second oldest concert-giving organisation in the UK.

The origins of the Orchestras concert series date back to the formation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society, which administers it, by a group of Liverpool music lovers in 1840. The Phil has remained at the heart of Liverpools cultural life ever since.

In 1957, the Liverpool Philharmonic Society and Orchestra, as they were called then, acquired the title Royal. A year later, Her Majesty the Queen became Patron a role she has retained ever since.

In 1989 the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society and Orchestra received an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University and in 1991, were the first organisations to be granted the Freedom of the City of Liverpool. A further honour of Meritorious Service was granted by the City of Liverpool in 1997.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra gives approximately 70 concerts from September to June in its home, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, as well as giving concerts in venues across the City, including its two Cathedrals.

The orchestra plays a regular concert series at Preston Guild Hall and Blackburn King Georges Hall, and makes frequent appearances in London and in concert halls throughout the UK and abroad.

In 2006, the charismatic young Russian, Vasily Petrenko, took up the baton as Principal Conductor, joining a distinguished line of musicians who have led the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra during its illustrious history including Max Bruch, Sir Charles Hallé, Sir Henry Wood, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir John Pritchard, Sir Charles Groves, Walter Weller, David Atherton, Marek Janowski, Libor Pešek KBE, Petr Altrichter and Gerard Schwarz.