1981 saw the founding of this full-time chamber orchestra in the heart of the Massif Central, striving from the very beginning towards a prominent presence on both regional and international levels. The orchestra aims to bring music to a wide and diverse audience while also taking on an active role in education. In the Auvergne it pursues many outreach activities and in 2019 received the Label  « Orchestre national en région » awarded by the Ministry of Culture. It’s artistic project, although anchored on its home territory, also involves touring in many countries around the world and developing an innovative recording policy. In January 2019, the orchestra launched its own digital label « OnA Live », with more than 95,000 listeners in 86 countries. It has also recorded more than 50 albums over the last 40 years.

Their spirit of cohesion and comradeship has been nurtured by former and present musical directors past and present, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Arie van Beek and Roberto Forés Veses. The conductor and violinist Thomas Zehetmair is its next Principal Conductor since the 2021-2022 season, his artistic team including Enrico Onofri, baroque violinist and conductor and the pianist and conductor Christian Zacharias.