This history of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra tells the story from its creation through to the world class ensemble that performs today. Earlier orchestral activity from the nineteenth century through to the 1930s set up the receptive environment for the establishment of the orchestra by the Australian Broadcasting Commission in 1936. After a number of decades of inconsistent funding challenges, the ASO was divested from the ABC in 2007.

The ASO has evolved into the main trunk of the artistic tree in the state delivering music to the South Australian community in various forms including concerts, opera, ballet and drama.

Paul Blackman's background as a long-serving ASO musician, player representative and member of management places him in an ideal position to recount the orchestra's history. As well as offering insights into the orchestra's operations - sometimes from a personal perspective - the many amusing anecdotes will engage the reader.