Founded on April 20, 2009, the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) has established itself as one of the most promising and exciting symphony orchestras in China. It has ventured to perform across all musical arts disciplines in concerts, opera, ballet, chamber music and film music.

Yu Long, one of the most distinguished Chinese conductors, has said that the HPO is the best stage from which Hangzhou culture can reach the world, and is also an exhibition platform for global cultures in Hangzhou. “Established only seven years ago in a city 180 miles from Shanghai, the HPO is now one of the major orchestras in China”, reported Musical America in 2016.

HPO participated in the Evening Gala "Most Memorable Is Hangzhou" for the G20 Leaders Summit in September, 2016, a performance that impressed G20 leaders and the directors of related international organizations as well as other guests. In September, 2017, HPO performed a symphony concert on the 3rd China-CEEC Cultural Cooperation Forum and won great acclaim from leaders and guests from China and 16 central and eastern European countries.

The 2017 Hangzhou International Music Festival was held for 21 days from June to July, , and included concert performances, master classes, music lectures, outreach performances, a China Symphony Summit and a Clive Barda retrospective photographic exhibition. HPO organized the music festival and won critical acclaim from Phil Blech Vienna, the Munich Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and China National Opera House.