Undoubtedly the finest orchestra in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic is self-governed and has never had a principal conductor. Rather than elect a chief maestro, the orchestra chooses which conductors to invite on a concert-by-concert basis, and its members decide as a group whether or not to invite them back.

Mr Wong also enjoys the accolade of being the youngest-ever to conduct the New York Philharmonic, the oldest major symphony orchestra in the US.

The short answer is: there is no difference at all. They are different names for the same thing, that is, a full-sized orchestra of around 100 musicians, intended primarily for a symphonic repertoire.

Founded in 1842 by local musicians led by American-born Ureli Corelli Hill, the New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, and one of the oldest in the world.