Founded in 1987 by the Cultural Institute of Macao, the Macao Chinese Orchestra is currently led by Music Director and Conductor Pang Ka-pang.

The orchestra performs regularly in Macao and over a decade and a half ago it broadened its audience, making its first trip to Portugal in December of 1988.  In the following years it has performed abroad annually, having travelled to Portugal, Belgium, Bombay and Goa, among other destinations.  In November 1994, it was featured in the Macanese programme of the "Lisbon' 94 - European Capital of Culture" celebrations in a concert warmly praised by the public in attendance at Lisbon's S. Luís Theatre. In June 1998, the group gave two concerts at the EXPO' 98 in Lisbon, joined by Portuguese singer Rui Veloso, early music guitarist Pedro Caldeira Cabral along with Yim Hok-man, Jiang Kemei and Ma Xianghua.

At home, the orchestra has frequently taken part in various important initiatives, such as the Cultural Session that was part of the handover celebrations and the ceremony celebrating the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region in 1999.  Since the year 2000, the orchestra has given concerts in various schools around Macao and remains dedicated to the promotion of Chinese music.

In order to comply with the planned Macao S.A.R. Government cultural policies, the orchestra has initiated a restructuring process. As a result, it has been enlarged and is now practically complete performing under the direction of Music Director and Principal Conductor Pang Ka-pang.  It is composed primarily of full time musicians.  In June 2004, when professional musicians were incorporated into its ranks, the orchestra began a new phase in its artistic development.

The Orchestra's repertoire covers a broad range of musical styles, from orchestrations of traditional melodies to more recent Chinese musical works.  It gave the first complete performance of A Hard Separation by He Zhanhao with the composer at the podium and has programmed such works as Impressions of Taihang Mountain by Liu Wenjin, River in Spring by Xu Jinxin, Fantasy for Macao for Portuguese Guitar and Chinese Orchestra by Kuan Nai Chung and Simão Barreto's Macao Rhapsody.

The Orchestra has collaborated with many famous soloists and groups over the years, among them Vivian Choi, Nancy Loo, Yu Qiwei, Min Huifen, Siu Pak-iong, Liu Dehai, Wong On-yuen, Yu Xunfa, Rão Kyao, Dulce Pontes, Luís Represas, Chan Junhua, Li Zhengui, Wang Guotong, Chen Yun, An Ruli, Gong Yi, Song Fei, Ma Xiaohui, Hu Songhua, Zhang Ye, Wu Yanze, Dai Ya,  Qubi Awu, Ma Xianghua, Zhang Gaoxiang, Chen Zuohui, Wang Zhongshan, Tu Cong, Tang Junqiao, Yan Jie Min, Zhao Jiazhen, Lon Wing Leung, Guo Yazhi, Li Guangliu, Chan Sio-fong, Kong Xiangdong, Pedro Jóia, Pedro Caldeira Cabral,  Frances Yip, Tsai Xing-juan, Fong Yi-kee, Cui Junmiao, Katia Guerreiro, Ala dos Namorados, Yu Hong-mei and Paula Tsui, among others.

The list of conductors gracing the podium in recent years includes Wang Zhengping, He Zhanhao, Chen Nanji, Gu Limin, Gu Guanren, Wang Fujian, Huang Xiaofei, Wang Yongji, Ding Jialin, Hu Bingxu, Yan Huichang, Li Shangqing, Kuan Nai-chung, Piao Dong-sheng, Bian Zushan and Wang Huiran.