International Festival for Vocal Music «a cappella» Leipzig

Vocal Music in the City of the Thomaskantors

Leipzig boasts one of the world's richest vocal music traditions: Bach and Mendelssohn served as Thomaskantors here, one of Europe's oldest boys' choirs (Thomanerchor since 1212) is based here, and the 19th-century German Lied repertoire was significantly shaped here. It was therefore almost inevitable that a festival should emerge in the late 1990s to bring together the entire spectrum of vocal music in Leipzig. The a cappella Festival, founded in 1997 by the Leipzig vocal ensemble amarcord, is now Germany's most important festival for vocal music in the broadest sense — from early polyphony to contemporary pop vocal arrangements, from classical to jazz, from liturgical music to folk traditions.

Program Philosophy: Not Genre Bridges, but a Genre Mosaic

The festival doesn't program a favorite genre — it showcases the entire spectrum. The 2026 program features side-by-side: the Spanish Renaissance ensemble La Grande Chapelle performing Tomás Luis de Victoria's Mass for the Dead from 1605, the traditional Armenian Nairyan Ensemble, the Slovenian women's ensemble Ingenium with their program journey «Journey of Life», the British pop vocal artistry of I Fagiolini, the American jazz vocal arrangements of the New York Voices, the German family vocal theatre of anders, and the Georgian award-winning ensemble The Bookmarks. Each concert is curated for its appropriate venue — Renaissance works in Bach's Thomaskirche, pop concerts in the Gewandhaus, family concerts in open theaters.

Open Stage, Academy, Masterclasses

In addition to concerts, several open formats are part of the festival concept. On May 2nd, the musical picnic «Open Stage» takes place on Augustusplatz — a free open-air stage where vocal groups from Leipzig and the region can perform. The a cappella Academy from May 6th to 9th is a workshop for aspiring vocal ensembles with masterclasses by international instructors (including Stephen Connolly from The King's Singers). Furthermore, there are public lectures (Prof. Michael Fuchs on vocal physiology), artist talks («Meet the Legend!» with Simon Carrington), and academic showcases.

Cooperation with Oper Leipzig

A special feature of the 2026 edition: The festival opening on May 1st is a collaboration with the Oper Leipzig — the host ensemble amarcord opens with the program «To spring» on the opera stage. This connection between the festival and the opera underscores the a cappella Festival's position as a cultural hub in Leipzig's musical landscape. The festival's grand finale on May 9th in the Gewandhaus's Great Hall summarizes the festival's highlights — one of the most sought-after tickets of the festival season.