In 1863 the Branch of the Emperor Russian Musical Society was established in Kiev. This year is an important milestone in the history of musical life of Ukraine and Kiev. It had been rapidly developing since the first part of the 19th century.

In 1881 the Council of Elders of the Kiev Merchants Assembly got a permission of the Kiev City Duma, or Council, for construction of a stone building for their club that was erected a year later by well-known Kiev municipal and eparchial architect Vladimir Nikolaev. The two-story building of the Merchants Assembly stood in the upper part of the Alexander, today - Volodymyr, descent at the Tsarist Square, which is called European Square now.

From the outset, the Merchants Assembly was a success. Crowds flocked to a great variety of entertainments including theatrical performances, concerts, masked balls, charitable lotteries, literary and musical evenings that were held there. Many Ukrainian and foreign actors and singers performed here.Nikolaev was not only a talented architect but also a good musician. He created the splendid pillar hall with perfect acoustics, which was highly appreciated by all musicians and conductors.

The National Philharmonic of Ukraine started its concerts seasons in 1863, when the Kiev Branch of the Imperial Russian Musical Society (ERMS) was founded. At the beginning of the XIX century, the development of the musical art in Kiev assumes a great importance. Famous European musicians, as Franz Liszt and Weniawsky brothers, come with recitals to the famous Kiev Contract Fairs. Thus, the creation of the musical society turned out to be quite timely. Among its initiators and founders were such well known at that time public figures and musicians as R. Pfening, M. Lysenko, P. Seletsky, M. Bogdanov.

The development of the culture and arts in Kiev at the end of the XIX century was determined by the economic development of Ukraine. Financial capital was growing, powerful banks were founded. Ukraine becomes the home of sugar magnates and Kiev - a large trading and economic centre in Europe. Well-off people readily support the arts and spare no means for their flourishing. Churches, theatres, nice mansions are being built. In 1881 the Council of Elders of the Kiev Merchants Assembly got a permission of the Kiev City Duma for construction of a stone building for their club. The Merchants Assembly was allotted the territory of the Kiev Society of Mineral Waters in the upper part of the Alexander (now Volodymyr) descent at the Tsarist (now European) Square.

The project and supervision of the construction work was carried out by a well-known Kiev architect Vladimir Nikolaev who at that time held position of the Kiev municipal and eparchial architect. In 1882 during one construction season a two-stored building of the Merchants Assembly was erected.

The building of the Merchants Assembly quickly gained wide popularity among the Kiev residents. Masked balls, festive family occasions, charitable lotteries, literary and musical evenings were held there. Kiev musicians and guest performers who played there were delighted with the acoustics of the pillared hall. Nikolaev not only perfectly knew the acoustic laws as an architect but also was a musically gifted person. Several years after the construction of the Merchants Assembly the Academician of Architecture Vladimir Nikolaev became one of the members of the Directorate of the Kiev Musical Society. Morning performances of chamber music organised by this society at the beginning of the 20-th century were held at this Merchant's Club.

Many famous names of musical culture figures of Kiev are connected with the activities of the Musical society. Between 1888 and 1912 Alexander Vinogradsky was Chairman of the Society. He became famous not only in Kiev but also in Europe as a unique symphony orchestra conductor. The Kiev audience is indebted to him by becoming acquainted with many symphonic works of the world classics -those by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and others. He was an enthusiastic organiser and an expressive Maestro.

Bright pages of the philharmonic activities in Kiev are connected with the name of Mykola Lysenko. He went down in history as the founder of the Ukrainian professional musical culture, brilliant composer and performer, public figure devoted to the national idea, promoter in the mater of upbringing the young gifted musicians and nationally-conscious intelligentsia. Back in 1859s he was one of the organisers of the Philharmonic society group. Then he took part in creating the Emperor Russian Musical Society (ERMS). For several years in a row he was elected a member of its Directorate. However, those at the ERMS disapproved Lysenko's national orientation. So he found support in other circles. The Literary-Artistic Association, the Boyan Philharmonic society, the Kiev Ukrainian Club, which were created with the participation of M. Lysenko, contributed a great deal o the development of the Ukrainian culture.

The beginning of the 20th century brought World War I and civil war. The first half of the century was often called "time of troubles", as there were so many governments and so many regimes constantly changing each other that the citizens often didn't know who was in power that day. Nevertheless, the musical life of Kiev didn't stop. Concerts were given regularly, and such legendary performers as S. Rachmaninoff, A. Scriabin, A. Nezhdanova, L. Sobinov, F. Shaliapin and others appeared on the stage of the Merchants Assembly.

The Soviets didn't favor the anticommunist Merchants Assembly and abolished this establishment, having given its building over to the Proletarian House of Arts. Then there the House of Political Education settled, later - the Bolshevik Club and Republican Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren.

In 1923 the State Philharmonic was established and opened with the concert under direction of L. Steinberg. In 1927-1937 the State Philharmonic Society worked in Kharkov, then the capital of Ukraine. At last it returned to Kiev that became the main city in the country. For several years the creative collective had not its permanent stage and gave concerts at various theatres, halls and workers clubs of Kiev.

During the terrible years of World War II the State Philharmonic Society stopped its activity as Kiev was occupied by fascist troops. In 1944 Kiev Philharmonic was given the building of the former Merchants Assembly that was in a very bad condition but wasn't destructed like other structures on Khreshchatik.Over the years the State Philharmonic Society and its reputation grew. Audiences came to experience the bright performances of the world music stars.

In the late 1980s the historic structure of the State Philharmonic, that had been given the status of the architectural monument, was renovated. All the acoustic properties of the Hall of Columns were preserved. In addition, modern technical equipment, the latest recording devices, an auxiliary telecommunication system, equipment for the stage lighting and mechanization were installed. The restored Hall of Columns of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine was open to the public on December 1996.

Today the National Philharmonic Hall of Ukraine continues to present a wide-ranging program that includes a full season of concerts by Symphony and Chamber Philharmonic Orchestras, guitar and bayan quartets, bandura trio, chamber and folk ensembles of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. Also it constantly conducts international contests and festivals (Contest of Young Pianists of Vladimir Krainev, Contest in Memory of Vladimir Horowits and others).

In 1962 the Hall of Columns of the Kiev State Philharmonic was named after Mykola Lysenko on the occasion of the 120-th birth anniversary and the 50-th death anniversary of the composer. In connection with the centenary of the building of the Merchants Assembly it was granted the status of an architectural monument.

The 1980s were the most difficult years in the history of the Philharmonic . Several misfortunes occurred during that period. One of them resulted in the flooding of the basement. The archives and one of the best music libraries in Kiev perished. Redecoration could not help any longer. It was necessary to save the building immediately. Finally, thanks to persistence of the Director of the Philharmonic Dmytro Ostapenko, restoration began. The Ministry of culture and the Kiev City Executive Committee were entrusted with carrying out the restoration and reconstruction. The project envisaged to renovate the historic structure of the architectural monument, to preserve the acoustic properties of the Hall of Columns, to install modern technical equipment, namely a control panel for the stage manager, the latest recording devices, an auxiliary telecommunication system, equipment for the stage lighting and mechanisation, etc. The restored Hall of Columns of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine was opened for the public on December 1996.

On account of is varied creative activities and significant contribution to the development of the Ukraine musical art, the Kiev State Philharmonic was granted the status of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine by Decree of the President of Ukraine in October, 1994. On its posters names of world famuos musicians have appeared: Oleg Krysa, Bogodar Kotorovych, Dmitri Bashkirov, Yurii Bashmet, Eliso Virsaladze, Tatiana Grindenko, Natalia Gutman, Liana Isakadze, Gidon Kremer, Vladimir Krainev, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sergei Stadler, Vladimir Spivakov and many others.

Now creative composition of the Philharmonic includes 19 People's and 32 Honoured Artists of Ukraine, 6 Honoured Personalities of Arts, 5 Honoured Workmen of Culture of Ukraine, many laureates of International and Ukrainian contests, 11 artistic groups which increase the glory of Ukrainian national culture. In 1995 the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine was created

The National Philharmonic of Ukraine, alongside with its active concert activity aiming broad propaganda of domestic and foreign art, classical heritage, reviving Ukrainian national culture, constantly conducts international contests and festivals (Contest of young pianists of Vladimir Krainev, Contest in memory of Vladimir Horowitz and others). It takes part in national and international artistic projects, presentations, creative reports, in artistic-cultural and public events at participation of leaders of the State and Government, in scientifically-practical conferences, exhibitions etc. The concert hall of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine has revived in order to add new interesting pages to the musical history of Ukraine.