Orchestra of St. Luke's

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The Orchestra of St. Luke's is an American chamber orchestra based in New York City.

It was founded in the summer of 1978 or 1979 at the Caramoor International Music Festival in Katonah, New York.

The orchestra has an average of 55 musicians. Its Principal Conductor from 2001 to 2007 was Donald Runnicles. Previous conductors include Charles Mackerras (1998-2001), and Roger Norrington (1990-1994).

The Orchestra of St. Luke's has premiered over 100 orchestral and chamber works by such composers as John Adams, Joan Tower, Anthony Davis, Nicholas Maw, Andre Previn, George Tsontakis, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and has released over 70 recordings, three of which have won Grammy Awards: John Adams's Nixon in China, Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, and Bel Canto with Renée Fleming. In 2003 the orchestra launched its own record label, St. Luke's Collection.

The affiliated St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, founded in 1974, is among New York's most prominent classical chamber ensembles. It draws its name from Church of St. Luke in the Fields, Greenwich Village, in Manhattan, where the 20-member ensemble first performed.

In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. [1] [2]