The history of the orchestra, which was newly formed following a merger in August 2017, is closely linked to the history of the residential towns of Gotha and Eisenach. The musical and cultural life of the city of Gotha has been continuously shaped by the work of renowned composers and musicians. The reliable existence of an orchestra enabled the growth of a lively musical tradition from the Baroque to the modern era, which is an obligation and inspiration for the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach. Neighbouring Eisenach did not have such a courtly tradition, but the Wartburg town succeeded in establishing itself as a popular venue for concerts, operas and operettas as well as spoken theater and ballet, supported by the commitment of civic music societies, over and above the work of Bach and Telemann.

At both locations, the orchestra, which merged in 2017 to form the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach, faces the varied task of providing orchestral accompaniment for ballet productions as well as chamber music in addition to demanding concert activities with renowned soloists. The musicians„ repertoire is correspondingly diverse. Almost all musical epochs are taken into account here, with contemporary music also receiving appropriate attention alongside popular classical and romantic music. The profile of the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach includes a focus on “new music„ as well as symphonic orchestral literature from previous eras. The baroque series “Four Seasons", which was launched in 2020, will be continued and impresses with performances by excellent specialists in the field of historically informed performance practice. The number of children's and youth concerts as well as performances in schools is evidence of the special focus on young audiences.

This approach also explains the regular rehearsals for conducting and composition students, with many years of cooperation with the Weimar University of Music „Franz Liszt“ and the German Music Council. For the musicians from Gotha and Eisenach, preserving Thuringia's fine-sounding reputation as the home of classical music and taking it out into the world is both an artistic aspiration and an honorable obligation.