Munich Philharmonic

Biography

The Munich Philharmonic (German: Münchner Philharmoniker) is a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. It is one of Munich's four principal orchestras, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian State Orchestra. Since 1985, the orchestra has been housed in the Gasteig culture centre. The orchestra was founded in Munich in 1893 by Franz Kaim, son of a piano manufacturer, as the Kaim Orchestra. In 1895, it took up residence in the city's Tonhalle (concert hall). It soon attracted distinguished conductors: Gustav Mahler first directed the group in 1897 and premiered his Symphony No. 4 and Symphony No. 8 with the orchestra, while Bruno Walter directed the orchestra for the posthumous premiere of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Felix Weingartner was music director from 1898 to 1905, and the young Wilhelm Furtwängler made his auspicious conducting debut there in 1906. Meanwhile, Anton Bruckner pupil Ferdinand Löwe established an enduring tradition of Bruckner performance which continues to this day. After Celibidache's sudden death in 1996, James Levine took over as chief conductor of the orchestra. Christian Thielemann became the orchestra's music director in September 2004. In March 2010, Lorin Maazel was named the orchestra's next chief conductor. Valery Gergiev became principal conductor in 2015

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Awards and Honors

Critical Favorites

2021Nominee

Best Performance

Classical Music at Odeonsplatz 2021 - Yuja Wang

2022Nominee

Best Performance

Klassik am Odeonsplatz 2022 - Tschaikowsky und Dvořák

2024Nominee

Best Performance

Klassik am Odeonsplatz 2024 - Lahav Shani und Anne-Sophie Mutter

Career Highlights

2011Highlight

Best Performance

Daniel Barenboim & Sergiu Celibidache: Schumann, Piano Concerto / Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1

2024Highlight

Best Performance

The Legacy of Sergiu Celibidache with Münchner Philharmoniker