The orchestra was founded 1993 and had Esa-Pekka Salonen as artistic director the first three years followed by Paavo Järvi who was succeded by Okko Kamu in 2001. They have all worked with the orchestra on several occations. The present artistic director for Orkester Norden is Rolf Gupta.

The orchestra is active during each summer, with a ten days course including sectorial rehearsals, chamber music and tutti rehearsals, followed by a teten days European concert tour. New conductors and soloists relevant to the repertoire visit the orchestra each year, in order to challenge the musicians as well as the audiences with variated programmes from year to year.

Orkester Norden is a collaboration project between Lions, The Confederation of Norden Association, Jeunesses Musicales, De Unges Orkesterforbund and the Association of Nordic Music Academies, where Concerts Sweden (Rikskonserter) has been responsible for production. From 2008 Orkester Norden will be hosted in Kristiansand, Norway, by the music festival and the symphony orchestra of Kristiansand together with the university of Agder.

Financial support is provided principally by the Nordic Council of Ministers, National and regional funds.