The Bombay Chamber Orchestra (BCO) Society was founded in 1962 as an educational trust, primarily to offer free coaching to the young musical talent of the city in the techniques of orchestral playing. Its aim is, not only to offer free music education, but also to create an environment and incentive to encourage young talent to continue to work at the instruments of their choice. Several young students who made their performing debuts with the orchestra have established themselves in successful careers as professional musicians throughout the world. The orchestra is listed in several international directories of orchestras and is a member of the World Federation of Amateur Orchestras (WFAO).

The BCO is an amateur orchestra in its 48^th year and is the only Indian symphony orchestra that functions and performs on a regular basis with a concert standard of performance. It performs 5-6 concerts a year in Mumbai, often in collaboration with international guest conductors and soloists, and has also performed in Sri Lanka and several other cities in India. The concerts we organise provide our musicians the experience and opportunity, as well as training, in orchestral performance. The orchestra also presents concerts in collaboration with choirs and other musical organisations. Members of the orchestra perform chamber music programmes from time to time

 Since its formation in 1962, the BCO has regaled Mumbai audiences with over 200 concerts. Its programmes feature a wide variety of orchestral, chamber and choral works from the vast repertoire of classical and light classical music, ranging from the baroque era, through the classic and romantic periods to contemporary works. The concerts have featured several international and local conductors and soloists and have been received with acclaim from both, audiences and critics, wherever it has performed. Visiting musicians are only too happy to work with the BCO and the society regularly receives requests from overseas musicians and conductors to come to India and perform with the orchestra.

Besides providing Mumbai’s music-lovers the opportunity to enjoy music produced by their city orchestra, the BCO Society serves the dual purpose of filling in, to some extent, the great void created by the lack of a school or academy of music in the city of Mumbai. It offers free coaching to young students interested in studying orchestral instruments. It organises workshops by visiting international musicians so that the students are taught the correct basic techniques of playing their instruments. Instruments are also loaned to students as these are often too expensive for students or their parents to invest in.