ATHENS — The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Nordwest Deutsche Philharmonic, one of Germany’s leading orchestras, at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Hodgson Concert Hall.

Principal conductor Eugene Tzigane will lead the NDP in a program featuring Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, and Victor Herbert’s Cello Concerto No. 2 with cellist Amit Peled.

For more than 60 years, the Nordwest Deutsche Philharmonic has been an integral part of concert life in northwestern Germany.

The orchestra also serves as a significant cultural ambassador for the region through its performances across Europe and around the world.

The NDP has recently enjoyed successful tours of Denmark, Austria, Holland, Italy, France and Spain, in addition to Japan and the United States. The Philharmonic boasts an extensive discography with over 100 recordings to its credit.

In 2010, American conductor Eugene Tzigane was named principal conductor of the NDP. Born in Tokyo and raised in California, Maestro Tzigane is quickly establishing himself as a sought-after young artist.

He was the grand prize winner of the International Fitelberg Competition for Conductors in Poland as well as winner of the second prize at both the International Sir Georg Solti Competition in Chicago.

Tzigane holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Juilliard School where he studied with James DePreist as the recipient of the Bruno Walter Memorial Scholarship.

He finished his formal studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and was awarded the Franz Berwald Memorial Scholarship.

Israeli cellist Amit Peled has performed as a soloist with orchestras in the world’s major concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Wigmore Hall in London and Konzerthaus in Berlin.

Peled has been featured on television and radio stations throughout the world, including NPR’s Performance Today, WGBH Boston, WQXR New York, Deutschland Radio Berlin, Radio France, Swedish National Radio and TV, and Israeli National Radio and TV.

Vanessa Tome, a Ph.D. candidate in musicology at UGA, will give a preconcert lecture 45 minutes prior to the Nordwest Deutsche Philharmonic performance. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Tickets for the NDP concert are $20-$44 with special discounts for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400 or 888-289-8497.