The St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Russia's oldest symphonic ensemble, was founded in 1882. In that year, on the Order of Alexander III, the Court Musical Choir was established - the prototype of today’s Honoured Collective of the Russian Federation. Thus, in 2007, the orchestra celebrated its 125th anniversary. The orchestra gained its most fame under the lengthy directorship of Evgeny Mravinsky. The orchestra made few tours to the West, but the orchestra recorded a number of studio and live recordings under Mravinsky. Furthermore, it was under Mravinsky that the orchestra premiered eight of Shostakovich's symphonies. In 1991 the orchestra gained its current name after its home city returned to its original name of Saint Petersburg. Today it is an internationally recognized symphony orchestra under the directorship of Yuri Temirkanov.