The Orchestra of the Jenaer Philharmonie

For more than 80 years, the Jenaer Philharmonie has been a major presence in the cultural life of Jena and the German Land of Thuringia. In addition to giving numerous concerts in the historic Volkshaus built in 1903, the orchestra performs all over Germany and the world. Concert tours have led the Jenaer Philharmonie to Frankfurt’s Alte Oper, the Kölner Philharmonie, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Tonhalle Zürich, to Radio France in Paris as part of the Printemps Musical, and to Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Armenia and China. Many CD recordings bear witness to the orchestra’s high caliber. The Jenaer Philharmonie has attracted great attention with its thematic concert series and inclusion of many different musical genres. In 2017 the orchestra was selected as one of six German ensembles for the federally funded program, Exzellente Orchesterlandschaft Deutschland. Since the fall of 2005 the Jenaer Philharmonie has been a member of Orchestra Network for Europe ONE®, which is funded as part of the EU cultural program.

The orchestra’s repertoire is broad and ranges from the Baroque period to Jazz, with the orchestra focusing on the classical and romantic eras and the music of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. In addition, choral music with the orchestra’s three affiliated choirs (Philharmonischer Chor Jena, Jenaer Madrigalkreis and Knabenchor der Jenaer Philharmonie) occupies an important place in the orchestra’s musical endeavors.

For over 50 years, the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar has been a cooperative partner of the orchestra, participating in the annual international Weimar master classes. In collaboration with Germany’s music council, the German Musikrat, the orchestra promotes and fosters the careers of young conductors from all over the world. An extensive educational program in music is aimed at children and adolescents with specific concert series, such as the infant and children’s concerts, outreach efforts to bring music and literature into kindergartens and schools, special concerts and Tutti pro in tandem with the Musik- und Kunstschule Jena. With support from the Philharmonische Gesellschaft Jena e.V., the Jenaer Philharmonie is a member of the “MUSIK macht schlau” network in Jena and the surrounding area for the purpose of fostering enthusiasm for music in children and adolescents.