The German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic is an international orchestra in symphonic formation which schedules its working phases as orchestra classes. The “German-Nordic Orchestra Week”, a regularly recurring event, was initiated by conductor and composer Andreas Peer Kähler, who has been the permanent composer and artistic director of the orchestra since its first working phase 1981/1982.

During these orchestra classes, the German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic offers the participating young musicians the opportunity to develop a demanding concert programme assisted by a team of experienced instructors and thereby to gain orchestra and concert experience. About one hundred young musicians participate in the Orchestra Week; most of them are students at European music academies. But some of them are young professional musicians, and school students who wish to become orchestra musicians also regularly take part. In its concert programmes, the German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic focuses on selected themes of the Nordic cultural sphere in an effort to contribute to a better understanding of Nordic orchestra music in Germany. Many world premieres and German premieres, for example of works by Allan Petterson, Jón Leifs and Edvard Grieg, attest to the importance of the task the orchestra has embarked on. In addition, guest performances in Järne (Sweden) as well as Lahti and Helsinki (Finland) were some high points of the past years.

Since 1988, the orchestra has been supported by a charitable association composed of friends and sponsors of the orchestra. The German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic depends on the hands-on work of these volunteers as much as on the association membership fees, donations, and sponsoring.

Thanks to a generous donation by the Hans Thomann Foundation, the German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic is now able to invite young musicians who cannot afford their own instruments or the transport cost for their instruments from abroad to Berlin to participate.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Hans Thomann Stiftung, and wish them and all their wonderful staff all the best and the greatest possible success in their great work.

You will find more information on the German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic at www.dskjph.de.