Deutsche Staatesphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

In the location's words:

The Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz has been bringing music to the people since it was founded over a hundred years ago. The orchestra has never had its own concert hall; the musicians have always been and still are on the road throughout the country. There is no question that the Staatsphilharmonie is a migratory bird. The movement towards the audience is what drives it. A perfect performance resembles an impressively synchronized flight manoeuvre: numerous individuals form a precisely organized flock that reacts quickly and sensitively to one another. By concentrating on observing more distant members of the flock, migratory birds can anticipate incipient changes of direction or formation - in much the same way that orchestral musicians pay attention to their colleagues when playing.

In the shadow of the First World War, committed citizens came together in Landau in September 1919 to decide on the founding of a traveling state symphony orchestra. After the inaugural concert on February 15, 1920, the orchestra set off on its first concert tour through the Palatinate and Saarland. This marked the beginning of the history of the German State Philharmonic Orchestra of Rhineland-Palatinate, which can now look back on a long tradition.

Even in its early years, the orchestra attracted national attention under the baton of Richard Strauss and Hermann Abendroth. Principal conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach and Leif Segerstam, now an honorary conductor, helped the orchestra gain international recognition. Michael Francis, who has been chief conductor of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz since the 19-20 season, has also provided numerous new impulses to continue the orchestra's tradition.

As an orchestra without a permanent home, providing symphonic music for the state remains the most important task of the Staatsphilharmonie to this day. With 154 events at 30 venues in Germany and abroad, it brings music to the people. Educational and family formats enrich the offer for young people. With rehearsal visits and toddler concerts, even the youngest children are introduced to the world of classical music. Regular concert recordings by SWR and Deutschlandfunk Kultur as well as numerous CD productions round off the Staatsphilharmonie's diverse range of activities.

The orchestra is not only characterized by a love of travel and departure in geographical terms. The Staatsphilharmonie is also always on the move in a figurative sense. For them, bringing music to the people means not only being on location, but also reaching people directly. The orchestra is therefore an integral part of cultural life and, more than ever, a cultural beacon for the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and beyond.