Subotička filharmonija (srp. Суботичка филхармонија, mađ. Szabadkai Filharmónia) osnovana je 1908. godine. Svoje osnivanje duguje Đuri Arnoldu, a osnovao ju je Ernest Lányi.
Svoj prvi koncert je održala je 12. februara 1908. Stalnim dirigentom od prvog koncerta je bio poznati kompozitor Ernest Lányi, a svom sastavu je imala članove Gradskog orkestra te amaterske muzičare. Do Prvog svetskog rata je izvela 20 koncerata. Na nekim od tih koncerata su kao solisti učestvovali i svetski poznati muzičari kao što su Pablo Casals, Béla Bartók, Jenő Hubay i Valborg Werbeck-Svärdström. Na repertoaru su izvodili od poznatijih autora, Mozarta, Beethovena, Schuberta, Tartinija i dr.
Nakon Prvog svetskog rata dugo vremena nije delovala, čemu je pridonela i smrt osnivača Ernesta Lányia. Tek 1931. su održali prvi koncert. Veliku ulogu u obnovi rada je imao muzičar Ljudevit Újhazy. Tada im je dirigirao Mirko Kramer. Do rata su izveli 20 koncerata, a na repertoaru su od poznatijih autora, izvodili Beethovenova, Ravelova i Čajkovskova dela.
U završnim mesecima Drugog svetskog rata je filharmonija obnovila rad. Već početkom 1945. je organizovala koncerte. Dirigovali su Željko Straka i Aleksandar Segedi. 1947. je njenim šefom-direktorom odnosno dirigentom bio Milan Asić. To je bilo malo zlatno razdoblje Subotičke filharmonije. Izvodila su se poznata dela svih poznatih kompozitora iz Jugoslavije, a gostovali su poznati dirigenti. Ukidanjem Opere je došlo do gubitka u orkestru, a time i padom kvaliteta koncerata. Nakon što se umirovio Milan Asić, voditeljicom je postala Elvira Husar. Potom je orkestar vodio Matija Murenji.
Rad joj je obnovljen 1997. povratkom maestra Berislava Skenderovića u Srbiju i Crnu Goru. Od 2001. je delom Muzičkog centra. Njegovim odlaskom 2006. je zapravo prestala postojati.
20. marta 2007. je pokrenulo osnivanje "nove" Subotičke filharmonije, a inicijatori su bili Đuro Molnar, Miroslav Jovančić i Mirko Molnar. Tom prigodom je Nova Subotička filharmonija dobila i naziv na hrvatskom jeziku. Do tada je imala nazive na srpskom (ćirilićni) i mađarskom jeziku. Tom prigodom se odlučilo da u novom sastavu bude znatno veći broj Subotičana od dotadašnje prakse, a predvidilo se osnivanje i Gudačkog komornog orkestra koji će biti deo filharmonije, a koji će moći i samostalno nastupati.
2008. godine Subotička filharmonija slavila je 100 godina postojanja. Od 2008. godine Pal Žiga kao koncert majstor Subotičke filharmonije zamenjuje dugogodišnjeg koncert majstora Tibora Pekara, a 2016. godine i Miroslava Jovančića kao direktora Subotičke filharmonije.
The Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra (Croatian: Subotička filharmonija, Serbian: Суботичка филхармонија, Hungarian: Szabadkai Filharmónia) was founded in 1908. Đuro Arnold deserves the credit for its foundation, but it was founded by Ernest Lányi.
It gave its first concert on 12 February 1908. Famous composer Ernest Lányi was its principal conductor from the first concert on. The orchestra was composed of members of the City Orchestra and amateur musicians. It gave 20 concerts before the First World War. Some of those concerts featured world-famous musicians as soloists, including Pablo Casals, Béla Bartók, Jenő Hubay and Valborg Werbeck-Svärdström. Its repertoire included works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Tartini and others.
After the First World War, the Orchestra was not active for a long time, also due to the passing of its founder Ernest Lányi. It was only as late as 1931 that it gave its first concert again. Musician Ljudevit Újhazy played a big role in its revival. Mirko Kramer conducted it then. It gave 20 concerts before the Second World War. Its repertoire included works by Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky, among others.
The Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra resumed its activities in the last months of the Second World War. It started organizing concerts at the beginning of 1945. It was conducted by Željko Straka and Aleksandar Segedi. In 1947, Milan Asić was its music director, that is, principal conductor. It was a mini golden era of the Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra. It performed well-known works by all renowned Yugoslav composers with guest appearances by prominent conductors. Closing down the Opera caused losses in the orchestra and consequently a decrease in the quality of concerts. After Milan Asić retired, Elvira Husar became the orchestra's music director. Matija Murenji led the orchestra after her.
The orchestra resumed its activities in 1997, when conductor Berislav Skenderović returned to Serbia and Montenegro. In 2001, it became part of the Music Centre. When maestro Skenderović left in 2006, it actually stopped existing.
On 20 March 2007, Đuro Molnar, Miroslav Jovančić and Mirko Molnar initiated the foundation of the “new” Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra. It was then that the New Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra also got a name in the Croatian language. Before that, it had only had names in Serbian (in Cyrillic letters) and Hungarian. It was also decided then that the new orchestra would include a considerably higher number of musicians from Subotica than it had been the case. The plan was also to found the String Chamber Orchestra, which would be part of the Philharmonic Orchestra, but which could also give independent performances.
In 2008, the Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 2008, Pal Žiga became the concert master of the Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra, replacing the long-time concert master Tibor Pekar, and in 2016, he also replaced Miroslav Jovančić as director of the Subotica Philharmonic Orchestra.