Romania

The George Enescu Philharmonic traces its foundation to the Romanian Philharmonic Society, established in 1868 under Eduard Wachmann. Its first concert took place that December. The orchestra subsequently made the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest its home and took Enescu's name following the composer's death in 1955.

The George Enescu International Festival was launched in 1958 and is held every two years. It brings Romanian musicians together with visiting orchestras, conductors and soloists, with Enescu's music forming part of a wider international programme. The festival and the Philharmonic are distinct institutions sharing the composer's name.