The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra proclaims itself "one of the cornerstones of national culture with a history of almost a hundred years." The 56-member group has recorded works, mostly by Baltic composers, for labels both within and outside the region.

The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (Latvijas Nacionalais simfoniskais orkestris) was founded in 1926 when Latvia was an independent country, and it continued to exist through the period of German and then Soviet occupation from 1941 to 1991. Like many other national European orchestras, it had its origins in broadcasting; it was called the Latvian Radio Center Orchestra at first. The group's first principal conductor was Arvids Parups. A major conductor from its early years was Leonids Vigners, who held the position from 1949 to 1963 and again from 1966 to 1974. The orchestra's first non-Latvian conductor was the Vassily Sinaisky (1975-1987), and its first from outside the former Soviet Union was Terje Mikkelsen (1997-2001). In 1995, the orchestra inaugurated its modern recording career with an album of music by composer Jazeps Vitols; it has since recorded for small labels such as Cameo, Sterling, and ERP but moved to the major label Ondine in 2021 for an album of music by Peteris Vasks.

The orchestra performs its regular concert series at the Great Guild Hall in the Latvian capital of Riga but has traveled to such major European concert halls as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, and the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany. The group has increasingly often attracted top-flight guest conductors, including Mariss Jansons, Valery Gergiev, and Andris Nelsons, as well as performers such as pianists Nicholas Angelich, Lucas Debargue, and Boris Berezovsky. Since 2013, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra has been led by Andris Poga; its first female principal guest conductor, Kristiina Poska, assumed that post in 2021. ~ James Manheim, Rovi