The WDR Symphony Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Germany. The ensemble has a regional presence and a national and international reputation. Its performances range from concert series at the Cologne Philharmonie and partnerships with concert halls and festivals in the region to regular invitations to Munich, Salzburg, Hamburg, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival or Kissinger Sommer. The ensemble has toured extensively in Asia and Europe in recent years, most recently to the BBC Proms and the European Capital of Culture, Timişoara.

The WDR Symphony Orchestra is present in TV productions, radio broadcasts, live streams and other digital offerings like the innovative video series “Traumwandler”. Regionally, the ensemble is committed to bringing music closer to audiences: in education projects for school classes, for families like “Concert with the Mouse” and through formats outside the traditional concert setting.

Regular CD recordings complement the spectrum of the WDR Symphony Orchestra. In September 2022, the first production of orchestral works under chief conductor Cristian Măcelaru was released with the Legends op. 59 and the Czech Suite op. 39 by Antonín Dvořák, followed by a release of The Wooden Prince and the Dance Suite by Béla Bartók. A recording of works by Prokofiev, Sarasate and Britten, among others, was released in August 2022 in cooperation with violinist Augustin Hadelich and nominated for the renowned “Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik”. The recording of Symphonies 3 and 4 by the Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz was equally enthusiastically received in the specialist press. This CD is the prelude to the release of the composer’s complete orchestral works. 

In addition to cultivating the traditional symphonic repertoire, the WDR Sinfonieorchester is particularly concerned with performing contemporary music. Since the 1950s, the ensemble has been one of the most important commissioners of contemporary compositions and has been writing music history through groundbreaking premieres.