SHMF — The King's Singers at St. Bartholomew's Church Wesselburen

The King's Singers — World-Renowned Vocal Ensemble

The The King's Singers from Great Britain are one of the most prestigious a cappella vocal ensembles in the world. Founded in 1968 in Cambridge, the six voices — two counter-tenors, a tenor, two baritones, a bass — have established themselves over more than five decades as "cult ambassadors of ensemble singing art". Their trademark: flawless precision, unique sonic blend, and a stylistic spectrum ranging from Renaissance madrigals to contemporary pop arrangements.

«Aftonen» — A Nordic Summer Night

The programme «Aftonen» (Swedish: "The Evening") is conceived as a "magical midsummer night". The King's Singers weave Renaissance compositions with contemporary works by Swedish and Scandinavian composers, as well as Nordic folk traditions — a repertoire that perfectly suits the seasonality of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and the Nordic identity of Dithmarschen.

St. Bartholomew's Church

St. Bartholomew's Church in Wesselburen, a small town in the Dithmarschen district, is one of Schleswig-Holstein's characteristic marsh village churches. Its acoustics and atmosphere are particularly suited for a cappella concerts — the vocal ensemble can unfold the full spectrum of its vocal art here without amplification.

The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival

The SHMF is one of the largest classical music festivals in the world — founded in 1986 by Justus Frantz, it is one of Schleswig-Holstein's most important cultural events financially and logistically. Every summer, around 200 concerts are spread across the entire federal state — from large concert halls in Lübeck and Kiel to churches, barns, and manor houses in the countryside. The concert in Wesselburen is one of these "outreach" dates, integrating rural venues into the festival calendar.

In the District of Dithmarschen

Wesselburen is located in the Dithmarschen district on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein, about 12 km from the Wadden Sea National Park. The town is known as the birthplace of the poet Friedrich Hebbel (1813–1863) and houses the Hebbel Museum — a literary heritage that adds an extra layer of depth to the King's Singers' Nordic programme.