Akkordeon Festival Berlin

Accordion in Berlin

The accordion has a long tradition in Germany – as a folk instrument, in classical chamber music, in tango and café culture. Berlin has been one of the most important German accordion hotspots for years, with several orchestras, ensembles, and an active Berliner Akkordeon-Verband (BAVe). The Akkordeon Festival Berlin is the central industry meeting point and audience anchor for this scene.

Estrel Berlin as Home Ground

The venue is the Estrel Berlin in Neukölln – Europe's largest hotel complex and, at the same time, a professional congress center with several halls of various sizes. The main stage, workshop rooms, and the Klingendes Mobil (an initiative of the Berliner Klingendes Museum) are spread across the foyer and the event halls. The scale of the festival (over 1,000 visitors annually) is ideal for the Estrel.

Program Between Ensembles and Workshops

On the main stage, ensembles from Berlin and all over Germany alternate hourly. In addition, there are workshops with established educators (in 2026, among others, Matthias Matzke on accordion and Axel Meier on drums/percussion), students from the renowned Hohner Conservatory Trossingen will perform, and a panel discussion will address accordion construction and future prospects of the instrument. An 'Accordion First Aid' demonstration will show small repairs on instruments brought along.

Federal Youth Accordion Festival

In parallel and at the same location, the BundesJugend-Akkordeon-Festival takes place: a competition and workshop format for young accordion players from all over Germany. Both festivals share stages and rooms but curate their programs independently.