Name: International Organ Summer at the Gedächtniskirche 2026
Start: 2026-07-04T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-08-29T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche

Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche

About Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche

Every Saturday in July and August at 6 PM, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz opens its doors for a special moment of listening: Renowned organists from around the world perform on the magnificent Schuke organ with its approximately 6,000 pipes. The program ranges from Bach to Romanticism to improvisations and contemporary commissioned works. Under the artistic direction of church music director Sebastian Heindl, the International Organ Summer is a Berlin classical music fixture – with free admission and a suggested donation.

Dates 04 Jul — 29 Aug 2026

Venue Berlin (11000)

Prices Free

Status —

Edition 2026

Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche — edition 2026

In July and August 2026, the Gedächtniskirche continues its tradition of Saturday organ concerts. International organists will present a program on the Schuke organ under the artistic direction of Sebastian Heindl. The final lineup will be announced in spring 2026.

As in previous years, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church plans a concert series of nine Saturday evenings plus possible special concerts on Fridays in early August. The complete 2026 program, including soloists, will be published on gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de; it was not yet fully published at the time of printing this page.

Highlights Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche 2026

Schuke organ with approx. 6,000 pipes, international soloists, artistic direction Sebastian Heindl, free admission.

Programme Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche 2026

Format

Weekly concert on Saturdays at 6:00 PM in July and August
Possibly additional Friday concerts (in past years, on the first and third Friday of August)
Soloists from Europe, Asia, and North America
Concert duration 45–60 minutes

Repertoire (Typical)

Baroque organ music: Bach, Buxtehude, Couperin
Romantic symphonic works: Mendelssohn, Reger, Liszt
French school: Vierne, Widor, Duruflé, Messiaen
Contemporary works and improvisations from the guests' home countries

Final program overview and date-soloist assignments: gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de/musik/orgelsommer and concerti.de.

Prices Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche 2026

Free admission, suggested donation €10–€20. No advance booking, free seating.

Practical information

Practical information — Organ Summer Gedächtniskirche

Getting There

Subway: U1, U2, U3, U9 to Wittenbergplatz or Zoologischer Garten. S-Bahn: S5, S7, S9 to Zoologischer Garten. Bus: 100, 200, M19, M29, M46. The church is located directly on Breitscheidplatz.

Admission

Free admission, suggested donation €10–€20 per person. Donations directly contribute to financing the concert series.

Notes

Concerts start at 6:00 PM on Saturdays, usually lasting 45 to 60 minutes. No advance booking, free seating, program booklet available at the entrance.

Concert with a City View

Anyone strolling through West Berlin on a Saturday afternoon can hardly miss the Gedächtniskirche: The ruined old tower from the late 19th century stands right next to Egon Eiermann's new building from the 1960s, whose blue glass windows bathe the interior in mystical light when the sun is low. Here, in this unique architectural constellation, the International Organ Summer takes place every summer.

The Schuke Organ

The instrument is the centerpiece of every concert: The Schuke organ in the Eiermann new building has around 6,000 pipes and is one of Berlin's most versatile concert organs in terms of sound. Its romantic disposition allows for both Baroque works (Bach, Buxtehude, Couperin) and grand symphonic soundscapes – such as French symphonic music (Vierne, Widor, Duruflé) – as well as contemporary improvisations.

International Guests

The artistic director is Sebastian Heindl, an internationally acclaimed organist himself (ARD Music Competition, St. Albans). Heindl programs the festival with a mix of emerging and established voices in the organ scene. Past years have brought artists such as Kevin Birch (USA), Victoria Ulriksen (Sweden), Francesca Ajossa (Italy), Mari Fukumoto (Japan), and Thomas Mellan (USA) to the Schuke organ.

Berlin City West – Concert with Context

The Gedächtniskirche is located in the Charlottenburg district on Breitscheidplatz, within sight of Kurfürstendamm, Bahnhof Zoo, and KaDeWe. West Berlin, long criticized as 'City West,' has regained its own identity in recent years – and the Organ Summer is one of the symbols of this cultural self-confidence. It's the perfect place for those who want to combine a concert with a city walk.