Grand Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg
26th Edition of the traditional Chinese New Year Concert in the Elbphilharmonie – Year of the Fire Horse
About Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg
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One of Europe's Oldest Chinese New Year Concerts
The Grand Chinese New Year Concert has been running in Europe since 2001 – Hamburg has been a regular stop since the beginning. The organizer is Music From China, together with the Hamburger China-Gesellschaft e.V. The 26th edition in 2026 celebrates the start of the Chinese Year of the Fire Horse. The concert takes place in the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg's concert hall, which has combined top acoustics with international renown since its opening in 2017.
The Wuxi Orchestra
The traditional Chinese Wuxi Orchestra travels through Europe in 2026 with a 2026 Folk Tour. Wuxi (the most recent UNESCO City of Music in China, awarded in 2024) is located in Jiangsu Province and is one of the most traditional locations for classical Chinese folk music. The orchestra features the typical setup of Chinese orchestras: string, wind, plucked, and percussion instruments in dense polyphony, without Western string or wind sections.
Pipa and Erhu
The two solo instruments introduce the European audience to the unique sound of Chinese tradition: The Pipa (a four-stringed lute, played by Zhang Hongyan) for the melodic foundation, and the Erhu (a two-stringed bowed fiddle, played by Deng Jiandong) for lyrical and expressive passages. Both instruments are used in the program both as solo instruments and within the orchestra.
Robert Meyer as Host
A special feature for Hamburg is the hosting by Robert Meyer – the Austrian actor combines elegance with subtle humor and guides the German-speaking audience through the program. This hosting component also makes the concert accessible to listeners who are not very familiar with Chinese classical music.
In the Hamburg-Mitte District, in the State of Hamburg
The Elbphilharmonie is located in the HafenCity (HafenCity district, Hamburg-Mitte borough) and has been the city's musical landmark since 2017. With over 2,100 seats in the Grand Hall and acoustics considered among the five best concert halls worldwide, it is the ideal stage for an orchestral program of this magnitude. The Chinese New Year Concert has been one of the firm cultural bridges between Hamburg and its partner city Shanghai for years – the diplomatic connection between the two cities has existed since 1986; 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of this partnership in the state of Hamburg.
Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg — edition 2026
The 2026 edition coincides with the start of the Chinese New Year: February 17, 2026, marks the transition to the Year of the Fire Horse. In Chinese astrology, the Fire Horse is considered a particularly dynamic and spirited animal, which is reflected in the program choices with fiery overtures and expressive solo passages.
The Wuxi Orchestra travels across Europe in spring 2026 with an extensive tour: in addition to Hamburg, Brussels (Bozar) and other venues are planned. Wuxi was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Music in 2024 – making the orchestra one of the most prominent ambassadors of traditional Chinese music in the 21st century.
Programme Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg 2026
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall
- Admission usually one hour before concert start
- Concert start (exact time available on elbphilharmonie.de)
- Festive overtures from the traditional Chinese orchestral repertoire
- Solo pieces for Pipa – Zhang Hongyan
- Solo pieces for Erhu – Deng Jiandong
- Works between tradition and modernity: Dialogue between historical and contemporary compositions
- Wuxi Traditional Chinese Orchestra, Conductor: Sun Peng
- Host: Robert Meyer
Tickets and detailed program information available at elbphilharmonie.de and musicfromchina.eu.
Highlights Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg 2026
- 26th Edition – one of Europe's oldest Chinese New Year concerts
- Wuxi Orchestra, UNESCO City of Music since 2024
- Soloists: Zhang Hongyan (Pipa), Deng Jiandong (Erhu)
- Maestro Sun Peng as conductor
- Host Robert Meyer (German-speaking)
- Kick-off to the Year of the Fire Horse
- Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall
Prices Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg 2026
Practical information — Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg
Getting There
Subway U3 Baumwall (5 min walk to Elbphilharmonie) or U4 Überseequartier. Bus line 111 stops directly at the Elbphilharmonie. By bike: HafenCity cycle routes lead directly to the Elbphilharmonie.
Tickets
Tickets are available via the Elbphilharmonie and Music From China. Prices vary according to seating category in the Grand Hall (from gallery to stalls). Sales open from early 2026.
Date
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie. Kick-off to the Chinese Year of the Fire Horse.
Program Highlights
Festive overtures, traditional works, solo performances for Pipa (Zhang Hongyan) and Erhu (Deng Jiandong), conducted by Sun Peng. Host: Robert Meyer.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Chinese New Year Concert Hamburg
Elbphilharmonie (Großer Saal)
Platz der Deutschen Einheit 4, 20457 Hamburg