The Deutsche Philharmonie Merck not only maintains it's symphonic repertoire, but has also been closely associated with film music for years. With it's new , it once again provides cinematic-magical moments In works by well-known composers such as John Williams and Hans Zimmer, film celebrities from Harry Potter to the Beautiful and the Beast are honored, and Star Wars in a wide variety of variations is also a must. Deutsche Philharmonie Merck is named after the family of pharmacists, Merck, who in 1668 laid the foundation for the oldest pharmaceutical-chemical company in the world, today a leading science and technology company. The family's lineage includes Johann Heinrich Merck, who was a friend and sponsor of the poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe, and the family had before that always been known for their support of the arts. Deutsche Philharmonie Merck still feels the family's cultural commitment in a very special way. The orchestra has it's origins in the 'instrumental group at Merck' which was formed by music-loving employees in 1966. Over the years, the company orchestra has become one of the most competitive orchestras on the German music scene and according to the press is 'an orchestra headed straight to the top'. The orchestra now consists of up to 100 professional musicians and celebrated it's 50th anniversary in the 2016/2017 season.