The orchestra was set up in 1968 and gained popularity under the name Tolbuhin Chamber Orchestra. In 1990 it was renamed - Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra consists of 15 instrumentalists and performs works ranging from the baroque to contemporary periods.

In the beginning it worked only with visiting conductors - the most prominent in Bulgaria. From 1972 to 1996 it appointed a permanent conductor and Music Director, Jordan Dafov, a post graduate of Olivier Messien. During this time the orchestra strengthened its position as one of the leading chamber formations in Bulgaria. From 1996 to the present the permanent conductor and Music Director is Alex Smirnov, a post graduate student of Franco Ferrara and Sergiu Celibidache . Besides the great number of local performances, the orchestra has had a multitude of tours in European countries, including: Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Italy, France, Spain and Canary islands and many of the ex - USSR republics. It has also performed in prestigious halls as follows: "Schauschpielhaus" - Berlin, "Philips" - Eindhoven, the Royal Cathedral - Stocholm, "Auditorio de musica" - Madrid, "Palao de musica" - Barcelona, "Auditorio Mozart" - Zaragoza. In Granada it has been specially invited to open the restored hall of "Manuel de Falla" in the imperial presence of the Queen of Spain.

Outside the European boundaries, the orchestra has been several times on tours in Japan and South Korea. It has performed in "Sintory hall" - Tokyo, "Symphony hall" and "Isumi hall" - Osaca, "Vega hall" - Takarasuka, "New concert hall" - Seoul, etc.

Many records, audio cassettes, and CD's have been made as well as recordings for the radios of France, Sweden, Spain and Bulgaria.