The first public performance of the newly created Symphony Orchestra of Ukrainian Radio (Ukrainian Radio-Center that time), which was a notable even in the Ukrainian art and cultural life, happened on the 5th of October, 1929. The Orchestra was a part of the Radio-Theatre and consisted of 45 musicians. The head of the Orchestra talented conductor and Professor Yakiv Rozenshteyn. The best musicians of Kharkov, the former capital of Ukraine, were invited to the Orchestra. 

Here is one of the articles of that time: "The historical days happened for the Ukrainian Radio-Center on the 5th and the 7th of October, 1929. What used to be a dream came true. The first Radio-Theatre was opened in Ukraine. These two performances were the first attempts of the musical art radio broadcasting. The Radio-Center’s Symphonic Orchestra had made a special impression among all other performers. Even thought the Orchestra was composed of the best musicians, conductor and Professor Rozenshteyn made it disciplined and improved musician’s teamwork in such a short period of time so one might be surprised. This gives us a hope that the Radio-Center’s symphonic Orchestra will become the best musical unit in Ukraine" ("Evening Radio", newspaper. October 8, 1929).

The Orchestra had started its first symphonic cycle with the P.I. Tchaikovsky works, which was opened with the 5th symphony and the 3rd orchestral suit on the 14th of October, 1929.

This was the beginning of the Ukrainian National Musical Radio Broadcasting history. This was followed by 80 years of the bright creative Orchestra life, full of high art and inspired labor. Due to the transfer of the Ukrainian capital to Kyiv and Republican Radio Committee reformation the Orchestra was removed to Kyiv and the number of musicians increased up to 60 persons. By the year of 1937 it becomes the only stationary Symphony Orchestra in Kyiv which practiced purely in symphony music.

Radio broadcasts and public concerts followed by the thousands of world and Ukrainian music records made by the Orchestra in favor of Ukrainian Radio Fund and the movie records has made an enormous contribution to the national culture treasury. 

Musician’s hard work supervised by the best talented chief conductors has led the Orchestra to the highest level of the orchestral art. Herman Adler, Mykhailo Kanershteyn, Petro Polyakov, Kostyantyn Simeonov, Vadym Gnedash, Volodymyr Sirenko and Viatcheslav Blinov formed the collective while polishing its mastery and improving themselves together with the Orchestra.   

The Orchestra was tempered in a collaboration with the prominent conductors of the 20th century: Mykola Kolessa, Nathan Rakhlin, Oleksandr  Klimov, Isaac Pain, Genadiy Rozhdestvenskiy, Benjamin Tol'ba,  Stefan Turchak, Fedir Gluschenko,  Rikkardo Kapasso, Arild Remmerit and others. Volodymyr Sheiko has been heading the Orchestra since 2005.

The title of Honored collective and the academic status were granted to the Orchestra for special merits in the musical art development.