Since its inception in 2001, the Adelaide Art Orchestra has established a reputation for vibrant, energetic and diverse performances of contemporary classical and popular repertoire and is rapidly becoming a key player in Adelaide's dynamic music scene.

Since its wonderfully successful launch, the AdAO has had a full programme.  Performance highlights in 2002 included a film score for the movie Till Human Voices Wake Us (Paramount Pictures), concerts featuring the music of Sculthorpe, Stravinsky and Gershwin, the Carnival of the Animals and Peter and the Wolf.  The full orchestra also played for the highly acclaimed Forbidden Broadway production in the Festival Theatre for the 2002 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.  Other classical performances included the SA premiere of Handel's oratorio Joshua, a concert for the Barossa International Music Festival and Romeo and Juliet with the State Ballet of Russia.

In 2003, the AdAO's engagements included a Classical/World Music fusion CD Unitopia, the award-winning Music on the Murray at Waikerie (one of the largest musical events ever held on the Murray River), Adelaide Cabaret Festival shows with Broadway composer Jason Robert Brown and a major concert featuring the SA premiere of John Adams' Piano Concerto Century Rolls with pianist Alexander Hanysz.  This was followed by two highly successful Something on Saturday performances for children at the Adelaide Festival Centre and a whirlwind tour of its acclaimed radio-style show Gershwin and Friends, covering the SA regional centres of Mt. Gambier, Renmark, Tanunda, Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Port Pirie.

In 2004, the AdAO entertained at the State Dinner to launch The Ghan, the inaugural Gawler Gourmet and Heritage Festival and multiple performances in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, including the world premiere of Oscar-winning New York composer David Shire and Richard Maltby's new musical Take Flight.  Subsequent concerts included a sold-out Morning Melodies concert at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, a new production for the Something on Saturday series and a new radio show based around the music of Cole Porter.

The AdAO began 2005, its busiest year to date, by accompanying the Opera Australia/Adelaide Festival Centre summer Season of The Mikado with Anthony Warlow and Judi Connelli (during which they also gave an outdoor Tsunami Benefit Concert).  Julie Anthony joined the AdAO and a 200 voice choir for Music on the Murray in Waikerie.  Members of the AdAO performed in a Beatles tribute Morning Melodies concert, followed by a season of South Pacific with John Diedrich and Katrina Retallick with the AdAO in 29-piece mode.  Private functions in 2005 included a spectacular society wedding in the Adelaide Town Hall and Basil Sellers' 70th Birthday celebrations, which saw the AdAO performing with Marina Prior, Rob Guest and the original members of the Little River Band.

The AdAO and its members featured in thirteen Adelaide Cabaret Festival shows, including the full orchestra in Australia's Leading Ladies and a 16-piece Big Band for Ann Hampton Callaway. Swamp Fairy's Encore production featured six players from the AdAO with Aussie rock legend Doug Parkinson, and a further subset of the AdAO played for Windmill Performing Arts children's opera Midnite.  The AdAO also premiered music of Philip Glass in the highly acclaimed concert Reflections on Glass with the Adelaide Vocal Project and featured in an ABC Classic FM Sunday Live broadcast.

In 2006  the AdAO performed in African Sanctus and Israel in Egypt for the 57th Intervarsity Choral Festival and worked with Australian tenor David Hobson in a major corporate event.  Other performances this year have included repeat performances with Marina Prior and Rob Guest, more work with the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, a mini Festival of Contemporary Music at the State Opera's Netley Studio, an opera Broadway concert and a first-time involvement with the suburban theatres Out of the Square series, with four performances entitled Shall We Dance.  Recently, the AdAO has performed Vesperae - a Mozart concert with the St. Peter's Cathedral choir, an ABC Classic FM Sunday Live Broadcast, performances of Mozart's Bastien and Bastienne and Poulenc's La Voix Humaine with State Opera and two Christmas Proms performances at the Adelaide Festival Theatre.  In January 2007, the Adelaide Art Orchestra played for the Summer Season of Pirates of Penzance with Opera Australia and the Adelaide Festival Centre - a production starring David Hobson and David Campbell.  Subsequent performances have included the Australian premiere of Mark Adamo's opera Little Women, a third Music on the Murray at Waikerie, multiple performances in the 2007 Adelaide Cabaret Festival and supporting Max Pellicano and The Beatniks in Elvis Meets The Beatles at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.  The AdAO has also performed in a Greek Odyssey concert, Handel's Messiah with Graham Abbott and the Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus and the Christmas Proms with the Adelaide Festival Centre.

Forthcoming events in 2008 include a performance with David Campbell for the Clipsal 500, concerts for Country Arts SA including a tour of Glenn Miller and Friends to SA regional centres and further participation with the 2008 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.