composers such as rhené-baton and otto klemperer were invited from abroad to help in establishing and training the orchestra. from 1938 to 1984, hajibeyov's nephew niyazi was conducting the orchestra. after his death, the conducting has been performed by "people's artist" of azerbaijan, professor rauf abdullayev. the orchestra has toured a number of countries including the united states, the united kingdom, france, germany, switzerland, italy, turkey, and egypt.