Schönberger Musiksommer
40 Years of Vocal and Chamber Music in the Probstei — Bach, Strauss, and New Works
2026
About Schönberger Musiksommer
Schönberger Musiksommer — edition 2026
The 40th Anniversary Season
With the 2026 season, the Schönberger Musiksommer celebrates 40 years of its concert series. The season runs from June 16 to September 20, 2026 — over 14 weeks featuring concerts every Tuesday at 8:00 PM and additional special events.
Programmatic Focuses
- 200th Birthday of Johann Strauss — Strauss programs for children and adults
- 276th Anniversary of J.S. Bach's Death — Chamber ensemble performances featuring Bach's works
- 100th Birthday of Manfred Schlenker — World premieres by composers Ayşe Okşar and Ümit Önder
- Accompanying art exhibitions, including "Leuchtende Schatten"
Highlights Schönberger Musiksommer 2026
- 40th Anniversary Season — one of Northern Germany's most traditional vocal music festivals
- Opening on June 23 with BachWerkVokal Salzburg's "Bach tanzt"
- Closing concert on Sept 20 with Bach's St. Matthew Passion (spatial acoustic staging)
- Strauss Anniversary (200 years) and tribute to Manfred Schlenker (100 years)
- World premieres by composers Ayşe Okşar and Ümit Önder
Programme Schönberger Musiksommer 2026
Key Dates 2026
- Tuesday, June 16, 2026 — Season Opening
- Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 8:00 PM — BachWerkVokal Salzburg: "Bach tanzt" (Bach cantatas with dance and instrumental accompaniment), St. Laurentius Schönberg
- July–August 2026 — weekly Tuesday concerts featuring ensembles Sjaella (Vocal sextet Leipzig), Voktett Hannover (A cappella), BrassAppeal (Brass), Eva Klesse (Jazz), Landesjugendorchester M-V (State Youth Orchestra M-V), and various chamber ensembles
- Special concerts at Bechelsdorfer Schulzenhof as an additional venue
- Strauss and Bach programs spread throughout the season
- World premieres by composers Ayşe Okşar and Ümit Önder on the occasion of Manfred Schlenker's 100th birthday
- Sunday, September 20, 2026 — Closing Concert: J.S. Bach, St. Matthew Passion — Soloists, choirs, and orchestras performing from multiple locations within St. Laurentius Church
Full season program and artist biographies at schoenberger-musiksommer.de.
Prices Schönberger Musiksommer 2026
Standard admission: €18.50 advance / €20.00 box office. Supporter tickets: €25.00. Children's concerts: €3.00. Some concerts are free (admission free). Tickets available at Schönberg and regional ticket outlets, as well as online via the festival website.
Practical information — Schönberger Musiksommer
Getting There
By car: Take the A1 or A21 motorway, exit at Schönberg or Plön, then follow country roads towards Schönberg. Parking is available at the church and in the town centre. By train: Travel to Kiel or Lütjenburg, then take a bus or car. Schönberg is located about 20 km east of Kiel.
Admission and Tickets
Standard admission €18.50 (advance) / €20.00 (box office). Supporter tickets €25.00. Children's concerts €3.00. Some events are free (admission free). Tickets are available via the festival website and at regional ticket outlets.
Program Download
Detailed program and tickets at schoenberger-musiksommer.de.
A Concert Series in the Probstei Since 1986
The Schönberger Musiksommer was founded in 1986 and is now one of the most renowned concert series for vocal and chamber music in Northern Germany. The venue is the St. Laurentius Schönberg Church — a medieval brick church from the 13th century, boasting acoustics among the best in the region. Schönberg is located in the Plön district of Schleswig-Holstein, on the edge of the historic Probstei region — a traditional farming and fishing area on the Baltic coast that shaped the image of Northern Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries.
40th Anniversary Season 2026
The 2026 season is a special one: the 40th anniversary of the concert series. Artistic directors and programmers are setting several thematic focuses for the anniversary season:
- 200th Birthday of Johann Strauss — Children's concerts and adult program
- 276th Anniversary of J.S. Bach's Death — Chamber ensemble performances featuring Bach's works
- 100th Birthday of Manfred Schlenker — World premieres of new works by composers Ayşe Okşar and Ümit Önder
- Art Exhibitions accompanying the concert series, including "Leuchtende Schatten" (Painting and Graphics)
Opening Concert and Finale
The season opens on June 23, 2026, with BachWerkVokal Salzburg and the production "Bach tanzt" — Bach cantatas with instrumental and dance elements. The closing concert on September 20, 2026, is a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with soloists, choirs, and orchestras performing from multiple locations within St. Laurentius Church — a spatial acoustic staging of the great Bach work.
Artists and Ensembles
Throughout the season, performers include:
- Sjaella — Vocal sextet (Leipzig)
- Voktett Hannover — A cappella ensemble
- BrassAppeal — Brass ensemble
- Eva Klesse — Jazz drummer
- Landesjugendorchester Mecklenburg-Vorpommern — Youth orchestra
- Various chamber ensembles and soloists
Venues in the Probstei
The main venue is the St. Laurentius Schönberg Church. Individual concerts also take place at other locations in the Probstei, including the Bechelsdorfer Schulzenhof — a historic 17th-century farmhouse. This variety of venues is part of the festival's identity: music in dialogue with the historic landscape.
Where it takes place Schönberger Musiksommer
Schönberger Musiksommer at a glance
History of Schönberger Musiksommer
Edition 2025 Jun 2025Festivals similar to Schönberger Musiksommer
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