▁July ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁Since ▁then ▁the ▁festival ▁has ▁been ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁ten ▁weeks ▁of ▁orch est ral ▁music , ▁most ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁still ▁performed ▁by ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Orchestra ▁but ▁also ▁includes ▁concert s ▁by ▁the ▁festival ' s ▁own ▁Bl oss om ▁Festival ▁Orchestra . ▁The ▁Bl oss om ▁Festival ▁Orchestra ▁is ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁free - l ance ▁mus icians ▁from ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁area , ▁mostly ▁pulling ▁from ▁mus icians ▁of ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁P ops ▁Orchestra , ▁Opera ▁Cleveland ▁Orchestra , ▁or ▁Apol lo ' s ▁Fire . ▁The ▁or chestra ▁performs ▁ann ually ▁for ▁the ▁Bl oss om ▁Festival , ▁often ▁appearing ▁when ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Orchestra ▁has ▁other ▁summer ▁performance ▁engag ements ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁area . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁Bl oss om ▁Festival ▁made ▁history ; ▁premier ing ▁the ▁first ▁live ▁concert ▁performance ▁of ▁Ho ctor ' s ▁Bal let ▁which ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁orch est ral ▁works ▁by ▁G ers h win . ▁ ▁Until ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Bl oss om ▁Festival ▁had ▁its ▁own ▁music ▁director . ▁The ▁last ▁person ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁was ▁Jah ja ▁L ing . ▁After ▁he ▁stepped ▁down ▁from ▁that ▁position , ▁the ▁or chestra ▁elimin ated ▁the ▁post , ▁and ▁now ▁the ▁or chestra ' s ▁full - time ▁music ▁director ▁Franz ▁Wel ser - M öst ▁is ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the