The orchestra was formed under the All-Union Radio Committee in 1945. Its musical director until 1952 was V. N. Knushevitsky = Виктор Кнушевицкий.
The orchestra collaborated with famous Soviet musicians (pop and academic), and was often recorded on records without branding as Оркестр под управлением В. Н. Кнушевицкого and Эстрадный Оркестр п/у В. Кнушевицкого.
In 1952, he began performing and recording under the brand name "All-Union Radio Variety Orchestra" = Эстрадный Оркестр Всесоюзного Радио.
In 1954-1958, the artistic director of the orchestra was conductor Grigory Stolyarov = Григорий Столяров.
In the 1950s, other conductors performed and recorded with him, including Gennady Katz = Геннадий Кац.
The heyday of the orchestra's creative activity is associated with the work of Yu. V. Silantyev = Юрий Силантьев, who led the orchestra in 1958-1983.
In 1993, the group was awarded the title of "academic", and in 1999 it received its current name.
Leaders since 1983:
- 1983-1989 Александр Петухов = Alexander Petukhov
- 1989–2007 Мурад Кажлаев = Murad Kazhlaev
- с 2007 — Александр Клевицкий = Alexander Klevitsky