The Tamburitza Orchestra of the Academy of Music began its activities in the 2016/2017 academic year when an elective module for tamburitza was introduced in the Department of Music Pedagogy (Department VIII). From its inception, the orchestra was conducted by Professor Siniša Leopold. The ensemble primarily performs rare compositions by Croatian and international composers, as well as recent works specifically composed for it. Shortly after its founding, and especially following the introduction of tamburitza as a major field of study, the orchestra began performing in neighboring cities and at the Tamburitza Instrumental Festival in Karlovac, Požega, Varaždin, Sisak, Velika Gorica, and Zagreb. The orchestra quickly earned recognition and awards at national and international chamber ensemble competitions in Zagreb and Požega. At the national competition for all chamber ensembles in Zagreb, it won first prize with the highest score, and at the international competition in Požega, it was awarded first prize and the Grand Prix. The conductor of the Tamburitza Orchestra for the 2024/2025 academic year is Professor Matija Fortuna.