Ultraschall Berlin — Festival for New Music
International Festival for Contemporary Music in January
About Ultraschall Berlin
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A Festival Brand of the Berlin Broadcasting Institutions
Ultraschall Berlin was founded in 1999 as a joint festival of two public broadcasters — today Deutschlandfunk Kultur (DLF Kultur) and radio3 from rbb. This unusual, broadcaster-supported organizational mechanism makes the festival the most reliable fixture for contemporary music in Germany: every year in January, five to six days of programming, professional recording of all concerts, followed by broadcast on radio. What is programmed here shapes the discourse of the German new music scene.
Three Venues, Three Districts
The 2026 edition utilizes three central Berlin venues: the Radialsystem at Holzmarktstraße 33 in Friedrichshain (former pumping station on the Spree riverbank, now a prominent venue for dance, performance, and new music), the historic Haus des Rundfunks on Masurenallee in Westend (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district, headquarters of rbb), and the Heimathafen Neukölln at Karl-Marx-Straße 141 (Neukölln district, a performance hall from the 1900s). The geographical span between East and West Berlin is part of the program: contemporary music meets diverse acoustic and atmospheric spaces.
What to Hear in 2026
The 2026 program focuses on several Berlin ensembles: the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin with American conductor Brad Lubman, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO), Ensemble Mosaik (one of the most important German ensembles for new music), and Trio Accanto. Soloist includes violinist Ilya Gringolts. Featured composers include György Kurtág (Hungary, b. 1926) and the late Hans Werner Henze.
Ultraschall Berlin — edition 2026
Five days of festival for contemporary music with a focus on works by György Kurtág, Hans Werner Henze, and a series of German premieres. Tickets are available via the festival website. The concerts will subsequently be broadcast on the participating stations Deutschlandfunk Kultur and radio3 from rbb.
Programme Ultraschall Berlin 2026
The 28th Ultraschall Berlin runs from January 14 to 18, 2026. Organizers: Deutschlandfunk Kultur and radio3 from rbb. The following edition is already announced for January 20 to 24, 2027. Festival information according to ultraschallberlin.de.
Venues 2026
- Radialsystem — Holzmarktstraße 33, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain
- Haus des Rundfunks — Masurenallee 8–14, 14057 Berlin-Westend (rbb headquarters)
- Heimathafen Neukölln — Karl-Marx-Straße 141, 12043 Berlin-Neukölln
Confirmed Ensembles and Soloists
- Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin with conductor Brad Lubman
- Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO)
- Ensemble Mosaik — one of the most important German ensembles for New Music
- Trio Accanto — piano, saxophone, and percussion
- Ilya Gringolts, violin
Composers in Focus
- György Kurtág (Hungary, b. 1926) — one of the most influential contemporary composers
- Hans Werner Henze — a tribute to the German composer who died in 2012
- A series of German premieres by other composers
Radio Broadcast Format
All concerts are professionally recorded and subsequently broadcast by Deutschlandfunk Kultur and radio3 from rbb. The festival thus serves simultaneously as a public concert format and a production environment for the broadcasting group.
Highlights Ultraschall Berlin 2026
- Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin under Brad Lubman
- Ensemble Mosaik and Trio Accanto
- Violinist Ilya Gringolts as soloist
- György Kurtág and Hans Werner Henze in composer focus
- Three venues between Friedrichshain, Westend, and Neukölln
- Subsequent broadcast on DLF Kultur and radio3
Prices Ultraschall Berlin 2026
Tickets are available via ultraschallberlin.de and at the box offices of the three venues. Single concert tickets and combined festival passes are available. Discounts for students, pupils, and seniors.
Practical information — Ultraschall Berlin
Venues
Radialsystem — Holzmarktstraße 33, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain (S-Bahn Ostbahnhof + 5 min walk). Haus des Rundfunks — Masurenallee 8–14, 14057 Berlin-Westend (U2 Theodor-Heuss-Platz). Heimathafen Neukölln — Karl-Marx-Straße 141, 12043 Berlin-Neukölln (U7 Karl-Marx-Straße).
Tickets
Tickets are available via the website ultraschallberlin.de and at the box offices on the evening of the performances. Single concert tickets and festival passes are available.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Ultraschall Berlin al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Ultraschall Berlin
Radialsystem, Haus des Rundfunks, Heimathafen Neukölln
Holzmarktstraße 33, 10243 Berlin