Brussels Philharmonic

The origins of the National Orchestra of Belgium can be traced back to 1913, when Belgian conductor and composer Désiré Defauw founded the "Symphony Orchestra of the Belgian State". This orchestra was considered the predecessor of the current National Orchestra of Belgium. The orchestra is based at the Paleis voor Schone Kunsten (BOZAR) in Brussels and is subsidized by the federal government.

The orchestra consists of 82 musicians. Each season, the National Orchestra of Belgium performs approximately ninety concerts in Belgium and abroad. The orchestra also participates in educational projects and accompanies various music competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition. However, the orchestra does not accompany the finals of the vocal competition and the cello competition (since 2017). Nor does the orchestra accompany the final of the piano competition in 2025. The final of the vocal competition is accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of De Munt, and those of the cello competition and the piano competition in 2025 are accompanied by the Brussels Philharmonic. The NOB profiles itself as a 'national' Belgian orchestra by collaborating with the Festival van Vlaanderen and the Festival de Wallonie and by performing in all Flemish provincial capitals, Liège, Charleroi, Namur and Tournai, Ostend, Eupen and Virton, thereby reaching all three language communities. The orchestra also performs abroad, such as at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Spain.