Speinsharter Sommerkonzerte

Kloster Speinshart – a Baroque Jewel of the Oberpfalz

Kloster Speinshart in the northern Oberpfalz was founded in 1145 as a Premonstratensian priory and returned to active monastic life in the 20th century after secularisation and resettlement. The monastery church from the 17th/18th century, with its stucco work by the brothers Carlone and Bartholomeo Lucchese, is considered one of the outstanding examples of Southern German Baroque. The monastery walls, courtyard, refectory, and convent garden lend an extraordinary atmosphere to each concert.

Cooperation with the Festival junger Künstler Bayreuth

The Speinsharter Sommerkonzerte is not an independent festival brand but is created in cooperation with the Festival junger Künstler Bayreuth – one of Europe's oldest and most important festivals for young classical musicians. For over 60 years, the Bayreuth Festival has brought together young musicians from all over the world, providing them with a stage, mentors, and a space for encounters. During the festival weeks in July and August, the artists perform not only in Bayreuth itself but also at venues in the region – Speinshart being one of the most important.

2026 Programme – "RE:SONANZ"

The 76th edition of the Festival junger Künstler Bayreuth in 2026 will take place under the general theme "RE:SONANZ – Listening, Responding, Vibrating Together". The motto refers to the dialogical nature of music and the interplay of different musical cultures and generations. In the first half of August, international artists from the festival will perform at Kloster Speinshart – string quartets, chamber music ensembles, solo recitalists, and occasionally contemporary world premieres.

Venues at the Monastery

Depending on the weather and programme, concerts take place in the baroque monastery church (for sacred music, organ works, and vocal works), in the monastery courtyard (for open-air concerts and summer evenings), or in the convent hall (for intimate chamber music). The acoustics of the monastery church are legendary.

A Festival Town in the Hinterland

Speinshart is located in the Neustadt an der Waldnaab district in the northern Oberpfalz, about 60 kilometres east of Bayreuth. The small municipality with just under 1,000 inhabitants appears unassuming, yet the monastery attracts thousands of visitors every year – the summer concerts are the most important cultural highlight of the year.

Classical Music in Almost Intimate Form

What distinguishes Speinshart from the great festivals of the world is its intimacy: small halls, no star cult, young artists at eye level with the audience, concerts where you can hear the cellist's breaths. Those who appreciate classical music in this form will find a destination to return to again and again.