, ▁gar ner ing ▁participants ▁from ▁between ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁ 2 2 ▁countries ▁each ▁year . ▁The ▁city ▁of ▁Dresden ▁held ▁a ▁similar ▁international ▁festival ▁for ▁sch l ager ▁mus icians ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁until ▁shortly ▁before ▁reun ification . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁national ▁sch l ager ▁contest ▁hosted ▁year ly ▁in ▁Mag de burg ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Class ical ▁Several ▁pr estig ious ▁ens emb les ▁had ▁roots ▁in ▁the ▁pre - W ar ▁period . ▁Leipzig ▁Gew and haus ▁Orchestra ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Kurt ▁Mas ur ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁The ▁Staat skap elle ▁Dresden ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Herbert ▁Bl om sted t ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Jean ▁Kurt ▁Forest ▁established ▁the ▁Carl ▁Philipp ▁E manuel ▁Bach ▁Chamber ▁Orchestra ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁and ▁Hart mut ▁Ha en chen ▁led ▁the ▁ensemble . ▁ ▁Other ▁ens emb les ▁located ▁in ▁East ▁Germany ▁included ▁the ▁Akademie ▁für ▁Al te ▁Musik ▁Berlin , ▁the ▁Berlin ▁State ▁Opera , ▁the ▁Kom ische ▁Oper ▁Berlin , ▁the h ▁Berlin ▁Radio ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra , ▁the ▁Staat skap elle ▁Berlin , ▁the ▁Kon zer th aus or chester ▁Berlin ▁( Ber lin er ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra ) ▁and ▁the ▁Staat skap elle ▁Halle . ▁ ▁Johann ▁Sebastian ▁Bach ▁On ▁a ▁more ▁traditional ▁level , ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁government ▁celebrated ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁Johann ▁Sebastian ▁Bach ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁East