Name: Hamburger Orgelsommer 2026
Start: 2026-07-08T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-09-02T00:00:00+00:00
Location: St. Michaelis + St. Petri, St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Nikolai, St. Marien-Dom

Hamburger Orgelsommer

About Hamburger Orgelsommer

For eight weeks, Hamburg transforms into an organ city. The five main Hamburg churches (St. Petri, St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Nikolai, St. Michaelis) and St. Marien-Dom open their doors for about 50 organ concerts. Wednesday evenings are Michel nights, supplemented by dates in the other churches, international soloists, and the renowned "One Space — Four Organs" sound room in the Michel. Tickets €12 per concert.

Dates 08 Jul — 02 Sep 2026

Venue Hamburg (02000)

Prices Since 12.00€

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Hamburger Orgelsommer — edition 2026

Tickets →

The Hamburger Orgelsommer 2026 runs from July 8 to September 2. Approximately 50 concerts in the five main churches and St. Marien-Dom. Wednesday concerts at 7 PM in the Michel (St. Michaelis) form the backbone, supplemented by dates in the other churches. Soloists include Magne H. Draagen (opening), Anna Lapwood, Loreto Aramendi, Jonathan Scott. Tickets €12.

The 2026 edition continues the established format of the organ summer: Wednesday evening concerts at 7 PM in St. Michaelis as the focus, supplemented by dates in the other main churches and St. Marien-Dom. The summer opens on July 8 with a concert by Magne H. Draagen, performing with an orchestra.

The "one space — four organs" setup in the Michel also makes Wednesday evenings interesting from an organological perspective: the main organ, the Bach organ, the remote organ, and the crypt organ can be played individually or in combination — a unique possibility in Germany.

Highlights Hamburger Orgelsommer 2026

The Wednesday evenings with international soloists at the Michel; the unique "four organs in one space" setup; the concert by Anna Lapwood; the collaborative effort of the five main churches and St. Marien-Dom; the free introductions before the Wednesday concerts.

Programme Hamburger Orgelsommer 2026

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 7 PM — Opening at the Michel

Magne H. Draagen with orchestra — Opening concert
6:30 PM Introduction in the visitor center (free)

Wednesdays, July 15 – Wednesday, August 26, 2026 — Weekly Concerts at the Michel (7 PM each)

Wolfgang Capek (Vienna / St. Augustin)
Anna Lapwood — British star organist
Loreto Aramendi (Spain)
Jonathan Scott (Manchester)
Niklas Jahn (Dresden)
Further international and German soloists

Parallel — Concerts in the Other Churches

Dates at St. Petri, St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Nikolai
Concerts at the Catholic St. Marien-Dom
Approximately 50 dates spread across the summer months

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 — Season Finale

Closing concert at the Michel

Full program with soloists, works, and venues: orgelstadt-hamburg.de and st-michaelis.de.

Prices Hamburger Orgelsommer 2026

Standard price €12 plus booking fees per concert. Sales via tickets.st-michaelis.de and by phone at 040/450 118 676.

Practical information

Practical information — Hamburger Orgelsommer

Getting There

St. Michaelis: U-Bahn (subway) U3 Rödingsmarkt or Landungsbrücken, then a 5–10 minute walk. St. Petri/St. Jacobi: U-Bahn U3 Mönckebergstraße. St. Katharinen: U-Bahn U3 Meßberg. St. Nikolai Memorial: U-Bahn U3 Rödingsmarkt. St. Marien-Dom: U-Bahn U1/U3 Hauptbahnhof Nord.

Tickets

Standard price €12 per concert. Bookings via tickets.st-michaelis.de or by phone (040/450 118 676, Mon-Fri 10 AM–4 PM). Concerts in other churches via their respective ticket shops.

Tip

The introductions at 6:30 PM in the St. Michaelis visitor center are free and worthwhile. The concert series is not recommended for children under six. For sold-out concerts, entry after the concert begins is not possible.

Hamburg — Organ City with Tradition

With over 400 historical and newer organs, Hamburg is one of Europe's most important organ cities. The five main churches St. Petri, St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Nikolai, and St. Michaelis form the backbone of this tradition. The Hamburger Orgelsommer brings together the summer concert season of all major Hamburg churches, consolidating them into a cohesive festival.

Eight Weeks of Organ Music

The current edition runs from July 8 to September 2, 2026. The focus is on the Wednesday evening concerts at 7 PM in the main church St. Michaelis — the Michel. On other weekdays, concerts in the other main churches and in St. Marien-Dom (Catholic Cathedral) complement the program. In total, the summer comprises about 50 individual concerts.

St. Michaelis — One Space, Four Organs

A special feature of the main church St. Michaelis is its unique setup: four organs in one space. The main organ, the Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach organ, the remote organ, and the crypt organ can be played individually or in combination. This unusual acoustic possibility attracts international soloists who design programs specifically for the Michel.

International Soloists 2026

Magne H. Draagen — Opening concert with orchestra
Wolfgang Capek (Vienna / St. Augustin)
Anna Lapwood — the British star organist
Loreto Aramendi (Spain)
Jonathan Scott (Manchester)
Niklas Jahn (Dresden)

Further soloists will perform in the other churches, each with programs tailored to the acoustics.

Concert Introductions

Before the Wednesday concerts in the Michel, there is a free introduction at 6:30 PM in the visitor center — a brief prelude to the concert, providing background on the composer and program. An elegant way to prepare for the concert.

Admission and Information

Tickets cost €12 plus booking fees per concert. Bookings can be made through the St. Michaelis ticket shop (tickets.st-michaelis.de) or by phone (040/450 118 676). Those planning multiple concerts can also check the websites of the other churches.

Hamburg-Mitte and a Border of Districts

The main churches are spread across the districts of Hamburg-Mitte (St. Petri, St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Nikolai, St. Michaelis) and Hamburg-Nord/Eimsbüttel (St. Marien-Dom). Anyone attending a consistent organ program will get to know five of the most important historical city center churches through the festival — a tour that is a sight in itself.