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The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra has found itself in the care of a series of well-qualified music directors, including Eugene Goossens, José Iturbi, Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman, and Christopher Seaman. Through touring (including performances at Carnegie Hall) and recordings, the orchestra has been a presence among other American orchestras. Its recordings, especially, continue to draw the attention of the public outside the Rochester, New York area.

The Rochester Philharmonic was founded in 1922 by George Eastman. Eugene Goossens became the music director upon coming to America in 1923. Goossens frequent guest appearances with other American orchestras focused attention on his fledgling symphony in Rochester. The RPO made respectable progress during his eight years there before he accepted a call to Cincinnati in 1931. The next prominent figure arrived for the 1936-1937 season in the person of pianist and conductor José Iturbi. After guest concerts led during the previous season, Iturbi was appointed music director and served the RPO until 1947. His tenure was not without controversy; remarks considered demeaning by many women and other comments taken by the press to have been pro-Fascist kept his name before the pre-WWII public for reasons other than musical. Upon Iturbi's departure, Erich Leinsdorf moved from the Cleveland Orchestra to assume duties as the RPO's music director. Later, David Zinman distinguished himself in Rochester before moving on to Baltimore. Several celebrity guest conductors have led the RPO, as well, including Fritz Reiner, Sir Thomas Beecham, Leonard Bernstein, and Leopold Stokowski. Christopher Seaman brought to his 1997 appointment as RPO music director experience as principal conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony and the Northern Sinfonia. Seaman remained in this role until 2011, when he was named conductor laureate. Arild Remmereit assumed the position from 2011-2013, and in 2014, the RPO named Ward Stare as music director.

Performing more than 140 concerts per year, the RPO addresses several constituencies. In addition to subscription symphony concerts, a pops program has grown under principal pops conductor Jeff Tyzik. To address the music education needs of the greater Rochester community, the orchestra has a principal conductor for education and outreach, the first such position among major American orchestras. Michael Butterman served in this role from 2000-2018. In sum, more than 350,000 patrons are served by RPO concerts each season, many of them first-time orchestra attendees.

The RPO has recorded for several labels, including Vox, Harmonia Mundi, and Azica. On the latter, the RPO released American Rapture, under Stare, with harpist Yolanda Kondonassis in 2019, won a Grammy Award. ~ Erik Eriksson

Conductor Christopher Seaman has been especially noted for stints with several major American orchestras. He has a large recording catalog that has focused on the late Romantics and music of the early 20th century.

Seaman was born in Faversham, in Kent, near Canterbury. Like so many other British musicians, Seaman was first exposed to serious musical performance in a cathedral choir, in his case, the one at Canterbury Cathedral. He attended The King's School in Canterbury and went on to King's College, Cambridge, where he studied percussion as well as conducting. From 1964 to 1968 he was the London Philharmonic Orchestra's principal timpanist. He continued to hope for a conducting career, however, and in 1968 he was appointed assistant conductor of the Scottish Symphony Orchestra, serving until 1970. The following year he was appointed principal conductor, remaining in that post until 1977. Seaman has also conducted the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain on many occasions. He has continued to appear both in Britain and on the European continent as a guest conductor, leading such groups as the Czech Philharmonic, the Bergen Philharmonic, as well as most of the major British orchestras. However, since the late 1970s most of Seaman's regular engagements have been in the U.S., with the exception of a period as chief guest conductor at the Guildhall School of Music. Seaman was resident conductor of the Baltimore Symphony from 1987 to 1998, and music director of the Naples Philharmonic in Florida from 1993 to 2004. He became the music director of the Rochester Philharmonic in 1998, remaining in that post until 2011 and continuing as conductor laureate for life. Seaman also served as artistic advisor to the San Antonio Symphony from 2009 to 2011, making conducting appearances there. He has made guest conducting appearances with major American symphony orchestras including those of Seattle, Detroit, and Atlanta.

In Rochester, he increased the size of audiences with a lecture series called "Symphony 101" that won an ASCAP award. He also wrote a book, Inside Conducting, that was published in 2012.

Seaman's recordings have mostly been made with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the Rochester Philharmonic, but in 2019 he led the Britten Sinfonia on an album of music by Herbert Howells, also featuring the King's College Choir, Cambridge. ~ James Manheim