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The Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1957 in the town of Ludwigsburg, Germany. The ensemble was established as part of the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, an annual music festival that takes place in the courtyard of the Ludwigsburg Palace. The Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele was founded in 1932 by the conductor and composer Karl Münchinger, who was born in the nearby town of Stuttgart. Münchinger was a leading figure in the revival of Baroque music in the mid-20th century, and he founded the festival as a way to showcase the music of the Baroque era in the historic setting of the Ludwigsburg Palace. The festival was interrupted by World War II, but it was revived in 1949 with Münchinger as its artistic director. In 1957, Münchinger founded the Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele as the festival's resident ensemble. The orchestra was made up of musicians from the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, which Münchinger had founded in 1945. The Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele quickly established itself as one of the leading ensembles in Germany, and it has since become known for its performances of Baroque and Classical music. The ensemble has also commissioned and premiered new works by contemporary composers, including Hans Werner Henze, Wolfgang Rihm, and Helmut Lachenmann. The orchestra's main members have included some of the leading musicians in Germany, including the violinist and conductor Thomas Zehetmair, the cellist and conductor Heinrich Schiff, and the violinist and conductor Christian Tetzlaff. Other notable members have included the violinist and conductor Neville Marriner, the cellist and conductor Yo-Yo Ma, and the pianist and conductor Murray Perahia. The Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele has performed at some of the leading music festivals and concert halls in Europe and around the world. The ensemble has appeared at the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the BBC Proms, and the Berlin Philharmonic, among others. The orchestra has also toured extensively in Asia, North America, and South America. One of the highlights of the orchestra's history was its performance at the opening ceremony of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The ensemble performed the Olympic Hymn, which was composed by the Greek composer Spyridon Samaras and set to lyrics by the Greek poet Kostis Palamas. The performance was broadcast to millions of viewers around the world, and it helped to establish the orchestra's reputation as one of the leading ensembles in Germany. The Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele has also received numerous awards and honors over the years. In 1986, the ensemble was awarded the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg, one of the highest honors in the state of Baden-Württemberg. In 1997, the orchestra was awarded the Echo Klassik, a prestigious German music award, for its recording of Mozart's Requiem. The ensemble has also been nominated for several Grammy Awards for its recordings. Today, the Orchestra of the Ludwigsberger Schlossfestspiele continues to be one of the leading ensembles in Germany. The ensemble is currently led by the conductor and violinist Michael Hofstetter, who has been its artistic director since 2014. The orchestra continues to perform at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele and at other leading music festivals and concert halls around the world.

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