The Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the North West German Philharmonic Orchestra, has a tradition of over forty years, based in Herford, where it was established in 1950, succeeding the Bruckner-Orchester of the Reichsrundfunk. The orchestra has from the beginning benefited from the services of conductors of great distinction, both as music directors and as guest-conductors. The present General Director Michail Jurowski has enriched the repertoire of the orchestra with music from his native Russia and the present schedule involves some hundred concerts a year in Eastern Westphalia, North Rhine-Westphalia and elsewhere in Germany as well as in other countries. The orchestra has a close association with broadcasting organizations and has won distinction also in the recording studio.