Munich Philharmonic

The Munich Philharmonic which was founded in 1893, made music history within just a few years of its existence when Gustav Mahler conducted the ensemble in the premieres of his Fourth and Eighth Symphonies; shortly after Mahler’s death, Bruno Walter unveiled Das Lied von der Erde. Bruckner student Ferdinand Löwe established the Philharmonic’s great Bruckner tradition; Eugen Jochum, Hans Rosbaud, Fritz Rieger, and Rudolf Kempe shaped its profile in the following decades. In 1979, Sergiu Celibidache took over leadership for 17 years, enhancing the Munich Philharmonic’s international reputation through numerous tours abroad. Following Celibidache’s death, James Levine (1999–2004), Christian Thielemann (2004–11), Lorin Maazel (2012–14), and Valery Gergiev (2015–22) helmed the orchestra. Lahav Shani was named the new Chief Conductor in January 2023 and will begin his tenure with the 2026-27 season. Zubin Mehta has been an Honorary Conductor since 2004. The Munich Philharmonic records on its in-house MPHIL label; most recently, it released a set of the complete Brahms symphonies under Mehta. Spielfeld Klassik, the Munich Philharmonic’s extensive educational outreach program, is aimed at all generations and offers more than 150 events that are attended by 35 000 people annually. New concert formats such as “MPHIL Late” as well as promenade concerts appeal to an inquisitive audience. The theme of the 2025–26 season, which is being held at the Isarphilharmonie while the Gasteig undergoes renovation, is “Discoveries”: a program for everyone with open ears.

Lucerne Festival debut on 23 March 2002, with Christian Thielemann conducting works by Debussy, Chausson, and Ravel.

For further information on this ensemble, visit their homepage at http://www.mphil.de/en.

August 2025