The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra is the oldest orchestra in the Baltic States. It began in 1881 as the Baltic Philharmonic was started in 1881, when the first Philharmonic in the Baltics was established. Since 2010, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra has been granted the status of a national orchestra. The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra pays particular attention to Latvian composers and to the promotion of their creative work; the orchestra has commissioned and premiered numerous original symphonic scores. Proof of the artistic excellence of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra is its participation at the openings of such significant music centres as the “Gors” acoustic concert hall in Rēzekne, the renovated “Ziemeļblāzma” cultural centre in Riga and the National Library of Latvia ("Gaismas pils"). The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra is regularly invited to perform around the world – in Austria, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Malaysia, Oman, Lithuania, Greece, Estonia, China and India.

The Liepaja Symphony Orchestra is also active in music recording and collaborates with well-known music publishing houses and record labels, including Odradek, Toccata, Wergo and others.

An important time for the orchestra was the period from 1992 to 2009, during which its art director and chief conductor was Imants Resnis. Resnis established the International Piano Stars Festival in 1993, in which more than 170 pianists from about 30 countries have taken part over the years. Another valuable tradition were the “Liepāja Summer” concerts started by Valdis Vikmanis after being inspired by the orchestra’s summer concerts of long ago, which were always sold out. Thus, as of 2010, the “Liepāja Summer” festival has taken place, renewing this tradition of a hundred summers ago. The festival includes sacred music, chamber music and open-air concerts.