International Organ Cycle Speyer Cathedral

International Concert Series at the Imperial Cathedral

The International Organ Cycle at Speyer Cathedral is one of the most prestigious concert series for sacred music in Germany. Eight concerts per year — spread from April to November — bring internationally renowned organists to Speyer. The selection includes cathedral organists from other major cathedrals, freelance concert organists, and university professors from Germany and abroad.

2026 Program with Eight Concerts

The 2026 season comprises eight concert dates. Each concert begins at 7:30 PM, with an introduction at 6:45 PM (duration approx. 30 minutes).

The Eight Concerts in 2026

• Sat, April 18, 2026, 7:30 PM — Marcel Andreas Ober (Organist of Berlin Cathedral). Opening concert.
• Sat, May 23, 2026, 7:30 PM — Markus Eichenlaub (Speyer Cathedral Organist). Free admission.
• Wed, June 3, 2026, 7:30 PM — Bernadetta Sunavska (Munich).
• Sat, June 20, 2026, 7:30 PM — Hanne Kuhlmann (Copenhagen).
• Sat, August 8, 2026, 7:30 PM — Stéphane Mottoul (Lucerne).
• Sat, August 29, 2026, 7:30 PM — Kensuke Ohira & Mami Nagata (Tokyo).
• Sat, October 24, 2026, 7:30 PM — Gregor Früh (Lübeck).
• Sat, November 14, 2026, 7:30 PM — Marcel Eliasch (Trier). Closing concert.

Imperial Cathedral as an Acoustic Space

Speyer Imperial Cathedral is the largest preserved Romanesque building in the world. Begun under Emperor Conrad II in 1030 and completed under Henry IV, it was conceived as the burial place of the Salian emperors. Its nave measures over 70 meters in length, the transept over 35 meters — an architecture that creates an exceptional acoustic space. The acoustic conditions are ideal for organ music with long reverberations.

Introduction at 6:45 PM

Before each concert, a 30-minute introduction takes place at 6:45 PM — usually by the cathedral organist or a musicologist. It explains the works, composers, biographical details of the organists, and stylistic peculiarities. These introductions make the organ cycle particularly accessible, even for visitors without prior musicological knowledge.