The Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra (MCPO; Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México - OFCM) performed for the first time on September 15, 1978. Since that day it has occupied a very important place in Mexico's rich musical life, soon achieving an excellent artistic capacity and becoming one of the most prominent orchestras of Latin America.
The personal profile of the Orchestra has always been international. Approximately one half of its members are Mexicans. The other half consists of the musicians of the following nations: Argentina, Armenia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Peru, Poland, Rumania, Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S.A. Many non-Mexican members are also involved as teachers in educational institutions for music in Mexico City (and, if possible, other cities). This is their contribution to the development of the Mexican musical environment.
The Orchestra's numerous activities are not limited to concert seasons. They also embrace didactic and social fields: regular educational concerts for children and adults, visiting sites that have little or no opportunity of listening to classical music, frequent concerts in all main cities of the Mexican Republic, and participation in national events.
The Orchestra has recorded a collection of works of Mexican composers (30 discs), 25 discs of classical music and several discs of popular and movie music. Most of them are available on CDs.
Our invited soloists and conductors have included, among others: Leonard Bernstein, Eduardo Mata, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Janos Starker, Claudio Arrau, Plácido Domingo, Jorge Federico Osorio.
Until now, the Orchestra has had five titular music directors (in chronological order): Fernando Lozano, Enrique Bátiz, Luís Herrera de la Fuente, Fernando Lozano (again) and the current Musical Director, Jorge Mester.