TopInitially founded as the Madeira Chamber Orchestra in 1964 by Professor Jorge Madeira Carneiro, the Madeira Classical Orchestra (OCM) is one of the oldest orchestras in the country that is active today, commemorating this season its fiftieth anniversary. The orchestra is currently managed and lead by the 'Associação Notas e Sinfonias Atlânticas' (ANSA).
Since its formation, the OCM has performed concerts on a national and internationallevel, including festivals in Madrid, Rome and Macau, the last being part of a tour of Asia. In 1998 the orchestra recorded a CD with the violinist Zakhar Bron, and in 2005 also recorded a series of 5 CD with Portuguese soloists for EMI Classics in an edition of works by Mozart.
The orchestras previous resident conductors were Zoltán Santa, Roberto Pérez and Rui Massena. Guest conductors have included Gunther Arglebe, Silva Pereira, Fernando Eldoro, Merete Ellegaard, Paul Andreas Mahr, Manuel Ivo Cruz, Miguel Graça Moura, Álvaro Cassuto, Jaap Schröder, Luiz Isquierdo, Joana Carneiro, Cesário Costa, Paolo Olmi, Jean-Sébastian Béreau, Maurizio Dini Ciacci, Francesco La Vecchia and David Giménez.
50 years after it's formation, the Madeira Classical Orchestra is currently embracing a bold artistic project, providing a season rich in classical, romantic and contemporary programs, and including the opportunity to present various world premiers. During this season, the orchestra will collaborate with artists such as Martin André, António Victorino D`Almeida, Ilya Grubert, Artur Pizarro, Philippe Entremont, Mário Laginha, Arno Piters, Alissa Margulis, Pedro Neves, among many others.