NDR

Hamburg – September 08, 2026 -- The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra opens its 2026/27 season on September 4, marking ten years as the resident ensemble of Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Since the venue opened, the orchestra has performed 654 concerts in its Great Hall, serving as the house's musical core and global ambassador.

Chief conductor calls the orchestra 'the luckiest in the world'

Chief conductor Alan Gilbert credits the hall's flexibility for shaping the ensemble's decade-long identity. "We at the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra might be the luckiest orchestra in the world having the Elbphilharmonie as our home," Gilbert said, adding that the space works equally well for full orchestral forces and solo instruments.

Hamburg – September 08, 2026 -- NDR has launched the 16th edition of its annual charity campaign "Hand in Hand für Norddeutschland," this year devoted entirely to mental health among children and teenagers under the motto "MENTAL. STARK. FÜRS LEBEN."

The broadcaster is partnering with the six northern German state associations of the German Red Cross, chaired by the Hamburg chapter, alongside the nationwide Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit (ABSG). The ABSG alone coordinates more than 100 network partners across northern Germany focused on psychological wellbeing.

One in five children in Germany lives with a psychiatric disorder

Citing figures from Germany's Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, NDR notes that roughly a fifth of all children and adolescents in the country are affected by a mental health condition. Anxiety disorders, ADHD, depression, and learning, eating or addiction disorders rank among the most common diagnoses.