As Vienna's cultural ambassador and concert orchestra, the Wiener Symphoniker handles the lion's share of symphonic activity that makes up the musical life of the Austrian capital. The orchestra's activities centre on innovative projects that are associated with the purposeful cultivation of important Viennese musical traditions.

　　In October 1900, the newly formed Wiener Concertverein, as it was called back then, gave its first public performance at the Vienna Musikverein with Ferdinand Löwe on the podium. The Wiener Symphoniker has premiered works that are now undisputed staples of the orchestral repertoire, including Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, Schönberg's Gurre Lieder, Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. Over the course of its history, conducting greats like Bruno Walter, Richard Strauss, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Oswald Kabasta, George Szell , Hans Knappertsbusch, Herbert von Karajan, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Vladimir Fedoseyev and Fabio Luisi have left an indelible mark on the orchestra.

　　The Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan took up the position of Music Director at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, leading the Wiener Symphoniker into a new era.