Musicians of the WDR Sinfonieorchester
We, the musicians of the WDR Sinfonieorchester, are excited to join Orchester des Wandels e.V. in the summer of 2025 as the 44th member orchestra and are delighted to be part of this wonderful and important initiative.
The WDR Sinfonieorchester is one of Germany's leading orchestras and can be heard at the Cologne Philharmonic Hall and the major concert halls of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in Germany's music capitals and on tours throughout Europe and Asia. The orchestra's concerts are regularly broadcast on radio, television, and livestreams.
Since its founding in 1947, it has been distinguished by its progressive spirit and is committed not only to cultivating the symphonic repertoire but also to new music. It attaches great importance to inspiring young people to enjoy classical music.
Our rehearsal and concert venue, the Cologne Philharmonic Hall, is just a few steps away from one of Europe's largest rivers and the epitome of German Romanticism – the Rhine. Since the composition of Robert Schumann's Rhenish Symphony in 1850, humankind's interaction with nature has changed dramatically. It is a major concern of ours to use our musical voice in public to raise awareness of highly important issues such as environmental and climate protection and, as a public broadcasting orchestra, to assume responsibility in this area.
We plan to improve our own environmental footprint and look forward to engaging with our audiences in smaller and larger concert formats, together with environmental initiatives from Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia.
