JugendJazzFestival Gelsenkirchen

JugendJazzFestival Gelsenkirchen — Young Talents Meet Masters

From February 20th to 22nd, 2026, Gelsenkirchen will transform into a mecca for young jazz musicians. The 3rd edition of the JugendJazzFestival brings together workshops with internationally active jazz artists and public concerts — free of charge, accessible, and with high musical quality.

Organizers and Concept

The festival is organized by the Städtische Musikschule Gelsenkirchen in cooperation with the JugendJazzOrchester NRW (JJO NRW) and the state competition „Jugend jazzt NRW“. The idea: Young musicians should work with instructors who perform internationally themselves — and at the same time get the chance to present their results to an audience.

Program — Workshops and Concerts Over Three Days

Friday, February 20th, 2026

• 8:00 PM — „Intro“ at Wohnzimmer GE (Wilhelminenstraße 174): Opening concert with the workshop instructors
• Participants include: Ruud Breuls (Trumpet — Conservatorium van Amsterdam, WDR Big Band), Paul Heller (Saxophone — WDR Big Band), Stephan Jochen Schulze (JJO NRW, Hochschule Osnabrück) as well as teachers from the Musikschule Gelsenkirchen

Saturday, February 21st, 2026

• During the day: Workshops with the instructors
• 7:00 PM — „Jugend jazzt“ at KAUE: Concert with prizewinners of the state competition
• 9:00 PM — „Impro“ at Wohnzimmer GE: open session

Sunday, February 22nd, 2026

• 11:30 AM — Matinee at stadt.bau.raum: Workshop concert by the participants
• 7:00 PM — Big Band Finale Concert at KAUE with the JJO NRW and the Big Band of the Musikschule Gelsenkirchen

Venues

• Wohnzimmer GE — Wilhelminenstraße 174, intimate club atmosphere
• KAUE — former washhouse of the Consolidation colliery, now a concert hall with industrial charm
• stadt.bau.raum — exhibition space of the Chamber of Architects NRW, Boniverstraße 30

Gelsenkirchen — City in the Ruhr Area

Gelsenkirchen (approx. 260,000 inhabitants) is located in the heart of the western Ruhr area (North Rhine-Westphalia). The independent city is known beyond its association with FC Schalke 04 for its vibrant jazz scene, the Musiktheater im Revier, and the transformation of former colliery sites into cultural hubs, shaped by structural change.

Free Admission — A Gift to the City

Admission to all concerts is free. This makes the festival an accessible event for music enthusiasts, families, and students — and underscores the educational mission of the music school.