 The New England Philharmonic, a volunteer orchestra, was founded in 1976, by Michel Perrault, then residing in Winchester, MA and Gervásio de Chaves, a resident of Arlington, MA, as the Mystic Valley Chamber Orchestra.The first public performances were held in November 1977 in Arlington, Massachusetts and Belmont, Massachusetts.In 1986, the orchestra took up residence at Framingham State College, and in 1987 adopted its current name.