Founded in 1963, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest has remained in the musical elite for over six decades, recognized as a reference ensemble on the international stage.

It has been led since 2016 by concertmaster Péter Tfirst and has the world-renowned cellist István Várdai as its Artistic Director.

The orchestra has performed in over fifty countries and at some of the world's most important concert venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Sydney Opera House, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.

Throughout its history, the orchestra has collaborated with some of the most notable international soloists, such as Sviatoslav Richter, Mstislav Rostropovich, Isaac Stern, Yehudi Menuhin, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Martha Argerich, Julia Fischer, Vadim Repin, András Schiff, Emmanuel Pahud, Vadim Gluzman, Denis Matsuev, Mischa Maisky, and Maxim Vengerov, among many others.

In recent years, the orchestra has led concerts of particular significance, performing at some of the most prestigious international venues, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, the Musikverein in Vienna, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

In 2011, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest inaugurated the Liszt Year and marked the start of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in a concert held at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, in the presence of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain.

Its vast repertoire spans nearly the entire history of music, from Monteverdi to 20th-century composers. Its extraordinary discography of over 200 recordings stands as a testament to the scope of its artistic journey, featuring releases on leading labels such as Hungaroton, CBS, Teldec, EMI, Erato, Denon, and Sony Classical. The orchestra has three times received the Grand Prix du Disque from the Académie du Disque in Paris and has been honored on several occasions with the Record of the Year award in Hungary. In 2016, Deutsche Grammophon released an album by the ensemble in collaboration with double bassist Ödön Rácz, which was widely praised by international critics.

As Hungary's national orchestra, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest plays a vital role in representing and promoting Hungarian culture worldwide, combining an artistic tradition of over six decades with a strong presence on the world's major stages.