In the artist's words:

The orchestra

The Deutsche Philharmonie Merck is named after the Merck family from Darmstadt, who have been active there since 1668 and are known for their cultural commitment. Johann Heinrich Merck, a member of the family and friend of Goethe, is also part of this tradition.

The orchestra was founded in 1966 as a works orchestra consisting of employees who enjoyed making music. Over the years, it developed into a chamber orchestra, then a chamber philharmonic orchestra and finally, in 2003, into the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck. Today there are up to 100 professional musicians who come together depending on the program.

The repertoire covers all styles from baroque to contemporary music, including crossover projects such as jazz and film music. There is a particular focus on works by Mahler, Bruckner and lesser-known composers such as Korngold and Vaughan Williams.

Every year, over 25,000 listeners attend concerts in Darmstadt and the surrounding area. The orchestra is also involved in special projects for children and young people to promote classical music and get young people interested in orchestral music-making.