From Beethoven to Tchaikovsky. From Bernstein to Gershwin. The Konzertdirektion Prof. Victor Hohenfels and its Sinfonie Orchester Berlin are a magnet for classical music lovers of all ages. For nearly 70 years, they have been transforming the most famous masterpieces of great composers into emotional live experiences. Classical music for everyone – in one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world, where affordable tickets aren’t always easy to get: the Berlin Philharmonie. Over 3.6 million visitors from Berlin and around the world have enjoyed these “Popular Concerts” in its hallowed halls.
In our new 2025/26 season, Sinfonie Orchester Berlin presents the most beloved and popular works of classical music literature in 15 concerts in both the main and chamber halls of the Philharmonie. What kind of classical listener are you? Do you prefer “Opera and Operetta,” “Great Masters,” or “Famous Instrumental Concertos”? We have something for every mood. Alongside the great classical works, our diverse program also includes creative crossover concerts: from Hollywood film music like Casablanca or Breakfast at Tiffany’s to screen legends such as Indiana Jones and James Bond. Whether it’s world-famous jazz, Broadway musicals, or high-energy events like Rock Me Amadeus and Falco – we offer affordable excellence at a world-class level. Our successful collaboration with members of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic as soloists and conductors continues this season as well. Treat yourself to one of these unique experiences.
Principal Conductors
Stanley Dodds: 2014–2025
In the 2014/2015 season, Stanley Dodds was appointed Chief Conductor of the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin. A violinist with the Berlin Philharmonic since 1994, Dodds studied at the Karajan Academy. The German-Australian trained as a violinist and conductor in Linz and Lucerne and is a winner of numerous competitions. He assisted Sir Simon Rattle multiple times and has enjoyed an impressive career as a musician and conductor.
His experience sharpened the orchestra’s artistic profile. His goal was “to lead every ensemble beyond its limits and fully develop its unique qualities.” He built an emotional connection between orchestra and audience, making each of his concerts a one-of-a-kind experience.
Since 2024, Dodds has served as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Cavatina Philharmonic Orchestra in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, which he founded the same year. The city’s first professional orchestra presents around 30 concerts per season in the renowned Cavatina Hall.
Due to this new professional commitment, Dodds passed the baton at the end of the 2024/25 season to his former Berlin Philharmonic colleague, Andreas Wittmann.
Andreas Wittmann
Beginning with the 2025/26 season, Andreas Wittmann – a longtime member of the Berlin Philharmonic – will assume the role of Chief Conductor of the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin. He has worked closely with the orchestra as guest conductor for nearly 15 years.
He studied oboe and conducting in Munich and Berlin, received instruction from Prof. Hermann Michael, and participated in masterclasses with Sergiu Celibidache. From 1985 to 1986, he was a Karajan Academy fellow before joining the Berlin Philharmonic, where his early years were shaped by working with Herbert von Karajan.
In 1988, he co-founded the Philharmonic Wind Quintet Berlin, performing internationally for over 30 years and recording numerous albums for the Swedish label BIS. He also served for years as solo oboist at the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra under conductors such as Sinopoli, Levine, and Barenboim. He remains active as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher both in Germany and abroad.
He has been a lecturer at the Karajan Academy for over 25 years and served as its director from 2013 to 2015. As a conductor, he works with orchestras such as the Bursa Symphony Orchestra (Turkey), the Orquesta Sinfónica de Monterrey (Mexico), and the Orquestra Sinfônica da Bahia (Brazil) – where he is a regular guest conductor – as well as with Sinfonia Varsovia (Poland).
The Orchestra
A demanding program of classical, romantic, and baroque masterpieces sets high artistic standards for the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin. Composers like Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvořák challenge orchestras, conductors, and soloists alike.
The Sinfonie Orchester Berlin is an excellent ensemble that performs this great symphonic repertoire at a high level. This is only possible thanks to a well-rehearsed core of musicians – many of whom previously played in leading Berlin ensembles, while others have collaborated with the orchestra for years. Together, they provide the artistic and technical foundation to master the popular and sophisticated orchestral repertoire.
Soloists and Guest Conductors
Members of world-renowned orchestras such as the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic or the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin frequently appear as guests with the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin. These musicians are not only outstanding instrumentalists – many are also well-trained conductors. They work with the orchestra regularly and with great enthusiasm, as it allows them to bring their personal artistic visions to beloved masterpieces and present them to an appreciative audience in the Philharmonie.
Working with Principal Conductor Andreas Wittmann, guest conductors, and exceptional soloists allows the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin to maintain artistic continuity while remaining open to innovation and inspiration. One thing remains constant: a commitment to musical joy and passion – always with the aim, in the spirit of Eva-Maria Hohenfels, of offering audiences emotional experiences and moments of harmony and peace.
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