For over 200 years, the Bremen Philharmonic has shaped the music scene of the Hanseatic city and north-west Germany. As the orchestra of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, they are responsible for opera productions at Theater Bremen, as well as their own concert series, which includes philharmonic concerts, special events and an extensive outreach programme. Notable figures who have influenced the orchestra over time include conductors such as Hans von Bülow, Karl Böhm and Eugen Jochum, as well as composers ranging from Johannes Brahms to Paul Hindemith. One of the most notable events in Bremen’s history was the world premiere of Brahms’s German Requiem in St Petri Cathedral, conducted by Brahms himself — a significant moment in the city’s musical heritage.

Marko Letonja has headed the orchestra as its General Music Director since the 2018/19 concert season. Under his leadership, the orchestra continues to develop artistically, striking a balance between standard repertoire and new programmes. Internationally renowned soloists such as Frank Peter Zimmermann, Marc-André Hamelin and Isabelle van Keulen have performed with the orchestra, as have conductors Carlos Kalmar, Mikhail Agrest and Michael Schønwandt.

With a wide range of concerts and opera performances, as well as an extensive music education programme, the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra reaches a diverse audience. A variety of concert formats, from chamber music to after-work and family concerts, are just as much a part of its profile as nurturing young talent.

Since 2022, the newly developed venue in Bremen’s Tabakquartier has opened new doors: with larger rehearsal spaces and a variety of concert formats, the Bremen Philharmonic are well equipped to meet the demands of its busy concert schedule in the years to come.