The very special orchestra

The Saxon Wind Philharmonic is the only municipal symphony orchestra solely made up of wind instrumentalists. It was originally founded in 1950 as the “Rundfunk Blasorchester Leipzig” (Radio Wind Orchestra Leipzig) and performed for the radio broadcaster in Leipzig for 41 years. With its inimitable sound, the orchestra had a large following and well known in both East Germany and internationally through numerous radio and television performances. Over the years the Saxon Wind Philharmonic worked with many well-known instrumentalists, singers and conductors from around the world.

The ensemble stands out for its highly versatile tonal range, which is made possible by arrangements composed especially for the ensemble. These include musically faithful interpretations of both contemporary original compositions as well as transcriptions of historical masterpieces from the symphonic repertoire. Concertante performances of symphonic chamber music are given thanks to the flexible formations of the Saxon Wind Philharmonic ranging from wind quintets to “serenade” scoring for wind bands. In these various formations the Saxon Wind Philharmonic can fully demonstrate its artistry in renditions of symphonic wind music.

The high standard of the orchestra and its artistic quality is continuously confirmed by the positive reception of the public and the music critics alike. In addition to concert performances in and around Leipzig, the Saxon Wind Philharmonic is in demand as a guest orchestra throughout Germany and internationally.

In addition to their work in the orchestra, the musicians of the Saxon Wind Philharmonic also work as teachers at the Deutsche Bläserakademie (German Wind Academy). There, amateur and professional musicians alike are offered a broad range of learning pportunities. The Saxon Wind Philharmonic is a popular training orchestra for master classes in conducting.