Neue Philharmonie Westfalen Musicians

Created in 1996 through the merger of the Westphalian Symphony Orchestra in Recklinghausen and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the City of Gelsenkirchen, the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen (New Westphalia Philharmonic) has been an integral part of the cultural landscape in the Ruhr area for more than 25 years. With around 120 members, the NPW is also one of the largest ensembles in North Rhine-Westphalia, with the musicians performing 300 events per season. In addition to concerts in Gelsenkirchen, Recklinghausen, the district of Unna and the entire region, one of the core tasks of the New Westphalia Philharmonic is to help shape opera and ballet productions in the music theater in Gelsenkirchen. The orchestra covers the entire range of orchestral literature from baroque to modern and is intensively dedicated to music education in numerous projects.

Every form of art is a reflection of our society: How we treat each other. How we deal with resources. How we want to live in the future. The musicians of the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, together with their general music director Rasmus Baumann, want to help preserve the uniqueness and beauty of our planet, as well as contributing to musical and cultural diversity. Humanity as a whole must fundamentally rethink in order to mitigate the consequences of climate change, to stop the poisoning and destruction of entire ecosystems and to achieve a new, fair and respectful way of dealing with all fellow human beings on this planet.

As a member of the Orchestras of Change, the NPW cordially invites its audience through various projects to remember these things and to support change for a better future.

Membership in the association “Orchester des Wandels Deutschland e.V.” means not only supporting the reforestation projects in Madagascar, but also raising awareness and awareness of one's own actions in harmony with everyday life.