The Capella Istropolitana was founded in 1981 by members of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, at first as a chamber orchestra and then as an orchestra large enough to tackle the standard classical repertoire. Based in Bratislava, the orchestra took its name from the Roman Istropolis, the city on the Danube that is the modern Bratislava, a name that had been perpetuated in the renowned Renaissance Universitas Istropolitana.

The members of Capella Istropolitana share their pleasure of making music and their enthusiasm to play together in a small ensemble. Most of the musicians are well-known soloists. Famous conductors and interpreters work with the orchestra. Their way of playing is featured by great technical skill, a high level sound and enormous interpreting discipline as well as an extraordinary sensitive feeling for style.

The ensemble has become part of the home and foreign music scene. They have performed in nearly all European countries, USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, China, Macao, Hong Kong, Egypt, Israel and New Zealand. The comprehensive repertoire includes German and Italian Baroque works, classical, romantic music and compositions of the 20^th century as well.

Besides concert events Capella Istropolitana is also successfully engaged in producing CD, radio and television recordings. Working often under distinguished conductors in a comprehensive repertoire; the orchestra has more than 90 CD’s to its credit. The albums are all of superior artistic value, which is proved by high sales figures world-wide: the orchestra already received two platinum discs, and by praises from the critics. Recordings by the orchestra on the Naxos label include: The Best of Baroque Music, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos (BWV 1046-1051), fifteen each of Mozart’s symphonies, as well as works by George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi and Georg Philipp Telemann. To commemorate the 200^th anniversary of Haydn’s death, a special 34-CD Box Set of The Complete Symphonies has been released featuring the Capella Istropolitana The BBC Music Magazine classified the Pleyel Symphonies with Capella Istropolitana to be one of the best recordings of the year 2000.

Paying tribute to their outstanding artistic facilities in 1991 the City Council of Bratislava appointed the orchestra „Chamber Orchestra of the City of Bratislava“.