Aurora Orchestra was founded in 2004 by conductors Robin Ticciati and Nicholas Collon. The orchestra's first season included concerts at the Cadogan Hall and LSO St Luke's, London, featuring music from Mozart and Wagner to Stravinsky and Schoenberg. In November 2005, Aurora gave five critically-acclaimed performances of Stravinsky's Apollo with the Michael Clark Dance Company as part of the Barbican Young Genius Series.

In April 2006 the orchestra was invited to take part in a residency at Aldeburgh and made its debut at the Aldeburgh Festival in June 2006, with Ligeti's Chamber Concerto and Mahler's Symphony No.4 (arr. Stein), featuring the soprano soloist, Kate Royal. This project also featured Aurora's first commission, 'Crimson Skies', by Swedish composer Tobias Broström.

In June 2006, Robin Ticciati decided to leave his position with Aurora, having been made Principal Conductor of both Gävle Symphony Orchestra and Glyndebourne Touring Opera. Nicholas Collon is now the sole conductor of the orchestra, which is run by a players committee and its Board of Trustees.

The orchestra was awarded a Leverhulme Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music for the 2007 season, during which it performed a critically-acclaimed series of three concerts. Take a look at our Past Concerts page to find out more about Aurora @ RAM 07.