Camerata Nordica, established in 1974, was one of the first examples of the conductorless string ensembles in Scandinavia.

Camerata Nordica is based in the small Swedish city of Oskarshamn and was originally called the Oskarshamn Ensemble. It is supported by the government of the county of Kalmar, where Oskarshamn is located, and it has enjoyed strong support from local audiences. The group often performs for children and has appeared at such events as Swedish rock festivals. Camerata Nordica performs standing up, without a conductor, and its energetic presentation has been notable. The group performs string orchestra repertory from the Baroque to the present day, using between 15 and 20 musicians depending on the work, and it has drawn members from all over Sweden. The group has often appeared on Swedish broadcast media.

Camerata Nordica's recording career began in 2006 with an album of works for strings by Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg, recorded for Germany's CPO label. It has also recorded for Altara Classic, and it signed with Swedish label BIS in 2013, releasing an album of music by Benjamin Britten. Its recordings and programming have featured, but not emphasized, the music of Swedish composers. Its 2014 release Visions Fugitives explored the early modernist period in works by Prokofiev, Hindemith, Webern, and Bartók. In 2017 Camerata Nordica released an album of familiar Mozart string works including Eine kleine Nachtmusik.

Camerata Nordica has toured Sweden and the rest of Europe, and has appeared in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. The year 2013 marked Camerata Nordica's debut at the BBC Proms. The orchestra hit a rough patch in 2016 when communications broke down between music director Terje Tønnesen and the orchestra's board of directors; the players, demanding an investigation into the board's handling of public funds, supported the music director, and the board announced the cancellation of the remainder of the orchestra's 2016-2017 season. The group bounced back in 2018, however, with a new roster of players from around Europe. As of early that year, the group had a full schedule of Swedish appearances in various venues. ~ James Manheim, Rovi