International Bergisches Guitar Festival (GITARRE 26)

A Week of Guitar Across All Styles

The International Bergisches Guitar Festival has been one of Germany's most distinguished guitar festivals for over two decades. It is organized by the Akademie der Kulturellen Bildung des Bundes und des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V., located on Küppelstein in the Lennep district of Remscheid. In its 26th edition in 2026, the program runs from New Year's Day to January 5th: workshops and masterclasses in the mornings and afternoons, concerts in the academy in the evenings.

Concert Program: From Classical Opening to Rock Finale

The opening on January 1st, 2026 is titled 'Egger meets Decker' – a classical opening concert at 8 PM with free admission. On January 2nd, the faculty will present 'Rock meets Jazz' (Werner Neumann Trio and Peter Fischer; €4). The absolute highlight is the International Guitar Night on January 3rd at 8 PM with Indian sitar and guitar virtuoso Samrat Majumder, the duo KM, and classical guitarist Philipp Humburg (€20 / reduced €10). On January 4th, three young talents – Benjamin Ojstersek, Valentina Krempatić, and Görkem Yılmaz – will present their programs in 'Young Generation in Concert' (€4). The closing on January 5th features two free concerts by workshop participants: classical guitar at 4:30 PM and electric guitar at 7:30 PM.

Workshops, Masterclasses, and Exchange

During the day, festival participants work in workshops and masterclasses at various levels: classical, jazz, rock, improvisation, song accompaniment, and songwriting. The Akademie der Kulturellen Bildung brings decades of expertise in adult music education. The faculty, including Herbert Fiedler and Torsten Schäfer, combines pedagogy with active concert practice. This fosters a dense exchange between students, amateur musicians, and concert guests.

The Venue: Küppelstein in Remscheid-Lennep

The Akademie der Kulturellen Bildung at Küppelstein 34 in Remscheid is a unique educational site in Germany. On the extensive campus above the old town of Lennep, continuing education courses for teachers, artists, and cultural professionals take place year-round. Its own concert and rehearsal rooms, as well as accommodation, make the festival logistically very compact – a 'festival campus' in the truest sense.

Bergisches Land — A Distinct Sound Region

Remscheid is part of the Bergisches Land in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, belonging to the hilly, wooded region east of the Rhine, which forms the 'Bergisches Städtedreieck' (Bergisches Triangle of Cities) with Wuppertal and Solingen. The region maintains a close-knit cultural and educational network; the Akademie der Kulturellen Bildung is one of its flagship institutions. Visitors to the guitar festival in January will experience the city in its winter mode – quiet, with the historic old town of Lennep and the easily accessible neighboring city of Wuppertal, known for its suspension railway, just around the corner.