The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra (Liepājas Simfoniskais orķestris) was founded in 1921 and is the oldest professional symphony orchestra in the Baltic states. That claim to priority carries real weight: orchestras in Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius all came later. The orchestra now performs at the Great Amber Concert Hall, which opened in 2015 and gave it a venue commensurate with its history and ambition.
The concert season runs from September through May, with programmes mixing standard symphonic repertoire with Latvian contemporary composers and occasional guest soloists. Tickets are inexpensive by Western European standards and rarely difficult to obtain except for high-profile gala events. Even if you are not a dedicated concert-goer, attending a performance here — in a purpose-built hall, with one of the oldest orchestras in the region — is a worthwhile way to spend an evening in Liepāja.