Step into the enchanting world of the Dortmund Philharmoniker's 2025 events, where classical music meets imaginative adventures. From the whimsical tales of Jari and Jolli to the powerful orchestral pieces of Tchaikovsky and Bartók, this season promises a delightful blend of creativity and tradition. With concerts showcasing everything from brass instruments to string quartets, and performances by world-renowned artists, there's something for every music lover to discover. Join us in exploring these diverse and captivating events that highlight the rich tapestry of music and storytelling.

A Symphony of Adventures: Dortmund Philharmoniker's Vibrant 2025 Lineup

The Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra has curated an eclectic mix of events that promise a delightful journey through music, culture, and creativity. From engaging coffee house performances and family-friendly adventures to grand orchestral concerts showcasing the best of Mahler, Smetana, and Bartók, the lineup offers something for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned classical aficionado or a curious newcomer, these events provide a chance to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of sound and experience offered by world-class musicians and imaginative performances.

A Symphony of Experiences: Dortmund Philharmonic's Diverse Musical Lineup

The Dortmunder Philharmoniker is set to offer an exciting array of events that cater to diverse musical tastes and interests. From the delightful blend of music and culinary treats at the Coffee House Concerts to the emotional journey through Rachmaninoff's works, the year promises enriching experiences. There's something for everyone, whether it's enjoying classic films with live orchestration, exploring the intersection of music and literature, or introducing young ones to orchestral music through engaging family events.

Dortmunder Philharmoniker: A Year of Music, Film, and Family Fun

Step into a world where music, culture, and imagination blend seamlessly at the events organized by Dortmunder Philharmoniker. From the delightful Coffee House Concerts to the mystical journeys in 'Cushion Concerts,' and the grandeur of orchestral performances, these events are a celebration of creativity and musical prowess. Join us as we explore the captivating performances, unique stories, and talented artists that make these events unforgettable.

Dortmunder Philharmoniker: A Musical Journey Through Time and Imagination

The Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra is set to captivate audiences with a series of diverse and engaging concerts, appealing to music lovers, families, and young musicians alike. From the harmonious fusion of shopping and serenades at the Coffee House Concert to the powerful orchestral performances of Rachmaninoff, these events promise a rich tapestry of sound that explores genres from jazz to classical. Highlighting the talents of esteemed conductors and pianists, including Gabriel Feltz, Beatrice Berrut, and Olga Scheps, these concerts are a must-see for anyone looking to experience the dynamic world of music.

Dortmund Philharmonic's Upcoming Concerts: A Mélange of Music, Culture, and Innovation

The Dortmund Philharmonic offers a rich tapestry of music and cultural experiences with its diverse concert series. From delightful Coffee House Concerts paired with culinary treats, to the nostalgic Silent Film Concert revisiting Charlie Chaplin's 'Gold Rush', and the emotional depth of Rachmaninoff's works, there's something for everyone. This series also includes interactive family-friendly events and showcases the interplay between literature and music. Each event promises unique experiences, whether it's the collaboration with young musicians or grand gala performances on Dortmund’s scenic Friedensplatz.

Harmonious Gatherings: Dortmund Philharmonic's Diverse Concert Series

Immerse yourself in a year of rich cultural experiences with the Dortmund Philharmonic. From the delightful Coffee House Concerts to the vibrant Cityring Concerts, each event offers a unique blend of music, literature, and youthful energy. Whether enjoying a symphonic classic with young musicians or exploring the narrative interplay between music and text, these events offer a tapestry of sounds and stories. Discover how tradition and innovation harmonize in these captivating cultural gatherings.

Dortmund Philharmonic: A Symphony of Events Blending Music, Literature, and Youthful Energy

The Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra has curated an exhilarating series of events that cater to a wide audience, from classical music aficionados to families with children. With concerts ranging from coffee house gatherings and literary-musical collaborations to baby-friendly performances and orchestral showcases, the Philharmonic is set to captivate hearts and minds. This upcoming schedule invites attendees to explore the rich tapestry of music, literature, and culture, all in the vibrant city of Dortmund.

Dortmund Philharmonic: A Year of Dynamic Concerts and Cultural Experiences

Dortmund is set to host an exhilarating lineup of musical events that promise something for every aficionado. From the intimate 'Coffee House Concert' where music meets culinary delights, to the 'Philharmonic Concerts' featuring world-renowned artists like Thierry Escaich and Jordan de Souza, the city's cultural calendar is packed with opportunities for musical discovery. Not to be overlooked are the innovative 'Library Concerts' where literature and music meld, and the family-friendly 'Baby Concerts' that welcome listeners of all ages. Dive into our guide to Dortmund’s upcoming music scene.

Explore Dortmund's Cultural Canvas: A Diverse Array of Musical Events

Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto and Edward Elgar's "Enigma" Variations are each, in their own way, pinnacles of the Romantic era. Among the violin concertos of the era, Brahms's is the most musically substantial, profound, and rich. In terms of the mastery of its formal design and the nuanced orchestral texture, it is no less impressive than Brahms's symphonies, and the work can generally be considered a concertante counterpart to his symphonies. It is particularly closely related to the Symphony No. 2, Op. 73, with which it shares not only the key of D major but also the bright, idyllic mood. We welcome a younger soloist, the Italian-American violinist Francesca Dego, who recently released a recording of the Brahms concerto, which reviewers described as reflecting the Mediterranean sun.

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5th Philharmonic Concert

Konzerthaus Dortmund

Dodo fans have long known: Our little bird is a sports enthusiast. Naturally, he's caught up in the World Cup fever and is eager to see the countries hosting the soccer matches. So, he decides to head across the pond. We accompany him on his adventurous journey, discovering the countries of the Americas and, of course, enjoying a whole lot of music.

2nd Family Concert: Dodo goes to the World Cup

The Dortmund Philharmonic's sponsorship of the Dortmund Youth Orchestra DOJO continues. In a "side-by-side" concert, musicians from the Philharmonic will perform directly alongside the young musicians. This time, the focus is on American music. The program includes pieces by famous composers such as George Gershwin, as well as by Florence Price, the first Black woman whose music was performed by one of the five major US orchestras in 1933. In recent years, her work has been rediscovered and has attracted worldwide attention. And, of course, the concert will also feature captivating film music.

2nd concert for young people: DOJO meets Dortmund Philharmonic: America!

The Dortmund Philharmonic's popular baby concerts are something truly special: Here, you can experience magnificent chamber music in a setting where the littlest ones feel just as comfortable as the adults accompanying them. The concerts take place in the beautiful atmosphere of the opera foyer. To ensure everyone stays happy and cheerful, the number of seats is limited. Stroller parking and play mats are also provided.

2nd Baby Concert

Opernfoyer

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's great Divertimento is an absolutely exceptional work, a string trio that can only be compared to his greatest string quartets. Johannes Brahms long intended to conclude his oeuvre with the G major String Quintet, which incorporated themes from a planned 5th Symphony.

2nd Chamber Concert: Exceptional Works

Academy for Theatre and Digitality

Through night to light – per aspera ad astra – numerous works and symphonies since Beethoven's Fifth Symphony have led. Would Franz Schubert have followed a similar path if he had completed the Symphony Fragment in B minor, as the "Unfinished" should correctly be called? After the abysmal, gloomy beginning of the work, the second movement already embarks on the path to light and contains passages of otherworldly beauty that have cast off all earthly weight. Bruckner's Seventh Symphony takes the key of this movement, the radiant E major, as its home key, so that the symphony, metaphorically speaking, already begins in the light. Conversely, as in Schubert's case, the second movement then marks the zone of gloom and despair. In the end, however, this Seventh Symphony closes in dazzling brightness.

4th Philharmonic Concert

The second Cushion Concert is all about soaring high! Together we'll hop on clouds, soar through the air, slide down rainbows, and chatter with sparrows. But beware, a storm is brewing in the distance... An interactive audio walk for sky-stormers and cloud-hoppers ages 3 and up.

2. Cushion Concert: Skystormers and Cloudhoppers

This is music that seems to lift the world upside down: a constant sparkle and glitter, sweeping melodies, and long stretches in which the music builds in relentless intensification toward solitary climaxes. Richard Strauss was just 24 years old when he composed his first masterpiece, Don Juan . A piece like a Ferrari: such overwhelming richness, brilliance, and diversity of orchestral sound had never been heard before, nor had music of such compelling vitality. Take a look under the hood with us!

2nd Concert Deep Dive: Immerse yourself in “Don Juan”

The much-cited inner turmoil of the Romantic artist—where could it find more genuine musical expression than in the works of Robert Schumann and Peter Tchaikovsky? Both were soul mates: When Tchaikovsky found in Schumann's music the "echo of the mysterious processes of our soul life," he was also describing a characteristic of his own work.

3rd Philharmonic Concert

The Dortmund Philharmonic and GMD Jordan de Souza are entering the new year with verve and romance with a concert with a Viennese slant. One of the most beautiful solo concertos of the Romantic era is on the program: Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, which continues to enchant listeners with its wonderful melodies. The slow movement, in particular, is simply breathtaking, followed by a fiery finale. Naturally, the concerto was also performed by the Vienna Philharmonic shortly after its premiere. The solo part will be performed by Arabella Steinbacher, a top-class violinist who guarantees a magnificent concert experience.

New Year's Concert: Viennese guests

After a short introduction to the concert with works by Anna Clyne, Robert Schumann and Peter Tchaikovsky, experience the rehearsal work of the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of conductor Alexander Shelley in the hall of the Konzerthaus.

Public Rehearsal: 3rd Philharmonic Concert

Jordan de Souza opens his first season as Dortmund's new General Music Director with three works that each embody a new beginning in their own way. The opening piece is a piece that signaled the beginning of a new era, yet is almost never heard in a concert hall: Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 1. Haydn was 25 years old and had just taken up his first permanent position when he composed this symphony. The vigor and joie de vivre of youth are evident at every turn in the piece. Haydn could not have known that he would follow his first attempt with 103 further symphonies. With them, he decisively shaped the symphony genre, so that this "First" truly represents the beginning of the future of orchestral music.

1st Philharmonic Concert

"Early one morning, Peter opened the garden gate and walked out onto the wide, green meadow." With these magical words, which transport adults back to the world of their childhood, begins the ever-popular fairy tale about little Peter, his grandfather, the cat, the duck, and the big wolf. Peter and the Wolf is great fun for young and old alike and, at the same time, is ideal for getting to know orchestral instruments. Last but not least, the piece unobtrusively conveys a message of undiminished relevance: the call to resolve conflicts non-violently.

CRK2025 Family Concert: Peter and the Wolf

Friedensplatz

The traditional opera gala on Friedensplatz marks the sparkling conclusion to the Cityring Concerts. Co-hosted by General Music Director Jordan de Souza, who also serves as musical director, and Heribert Germeshausen, Artistic Director of the Dortmund Opera, the gala features masterpieces from the operatic literature.

CRK2025 Opera Gala: Nessun dorma! – Let no one sleep!

One of the most important cultural events of the summer in Dortmund is the Cityring Concerts on Dortmund's Friedensplatz. Every year, thousands of enthusiastic visitors flock here in late summer to experience the rousing operatic air concerts of the Dortmund Philharmonic and the Dortmund Opera. The Dortmund Opera and the Dortmund Philharmonic, the city's orchestra, transform Dortmund's city center into the Ruhr region's premier stage

CRK2025 Musical Gala

Funky rhythms, propulsive energy, grandiose build-ups, and melodies that go straight to the heart – a concert program couldn't be more beautiful and thrilling. Rhapsody in Blue ideally combines jazz with concert music and has been a worldwide success since its sensational premiere at New York's Carnegie Hall. Pianist Frank Dupree and his trio have performed with the Dortmund Philharmonic several times, sparking veritable storms of enthusiasm each time. These three simply have the groove and will have Friedensplatz rocking.

CRK2025 Gala Concert

A concert for and by young people: Together with the Dortmund Philharmonic, the Dortmund youth orchestra DOJO | DORTMUND MUSIK is devoting itself to a symphonic classic, the lyrical, positive Seventh by Prokofiev. The young musicians are actively supported in their preparation by the Dortmund Philharmonic through coaching and rehearsals. At the concert, they will sit together with them on the large stage of the concert hall.

3rd Concert for Young People: DOJO meets Dortmund Philharmonic

The composer Joseph Haydn, known as "Papa Haydn", has a big problem: he just can't think of anything sensible for his latest symphony, which is supposed to be called "The Giraffe"! His musicians (colleagues) can't help him, even though he has already written symphonies for them such as "The Bear", "The Hen" and "The Hunt". "The Drum Roll" isn't quite right either...

2nd Family Concert: Papa Haydn’s Little Animal Show or: What does a giraffe sound like?

The points of contact between music and literature are manifold: music is written about, texts are set to music, or they inspire composers to create their own works. Some musicians have written texts themselves or have collaborated in a congenial way with a poet. The Dortmund Philharmonic, in cooperation with the Dortmund City and State Library, are exploring this interplay (and discovering highlights). A chamber ensemble from the orchestra introduces the musical source material, while Dr. Michael Stille and double bassist Frank Kistner pass the literary ball back and forth between them, which then returns to the musicians. The result is an enjoyable blend of reading and concert. The City and State Library, where texts and music are at home, invites you to Studio B.

Library Concert: Texts meet sounds

Dortmund City and State Library

Hardly any other composer of the 20th century remained as committed to the sound language of late Romanticism in his work as Sergei Rachmaninoff. With this approach, he created works that still speak to us today with their emotional density, melodic richness and tangible drama. The crystallization point of his work is the series of his piano concertos and symphonies. When Gabriel Feltz puts these very works on the program in his last three concerts as General Music Director on a single day, it is possible to follow Rachmaninoff's creative development in concentrated form. This reveals the enormous range of expressive worlds between euphoria, pathos, thoughtfulness, sensitivity and deep dejection in which Rachmaninoff moved in his music.

10th Philharmonic Concert: Rachmaninoff total

Almost exactly one hundred years after the premiere in Los Angeles on June 26, 1925, the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra is presenting Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush , probably the most popular film by the great actor and director. The film reconciles the incompatible and balances in an inimitable way between tragedy and comedy, between laughter and horror.

Silent Film Concert: Charlie Chaplin – Gold Rush

Can an insider tip be a milestone? The works in this concert prove it. Bela Bartók is one of those composers who are performed far too rarely in our region - not even such solitary creative highlights as the music for string instruments, percussion and celesta . Folklorism and avant-garde, construction and expressivity, excited motor movement and shocking emotional climaxes - all of this is brought into a unique balance in the work. At the same time, Bartók also reinvented the sound of strings, which is reflected in the unusual title. The half-hour work, which even despises 20th century music, was an unprecedented triumph for Bartók at its premiere and was performed around fifty times in ten different countries within a year. Since then, it has been considered a cult piece of modernism.

9th Philharmonic Concert: Insider tip

The great cycle My Fatherland (Má vlast) by Bedřich Smetana is popular all over the world, especially of course The Vltava . In the Czech Republic, however, the cycle is much more than that: a crystallization point of national consciousness. Every year, the great Prague Spring festival opens with it and My Fatherland is an indispensable part of the national holiday commemorating the founding of independent Czechoslovakia on October 28, 1918 .

8th Philharmonic Concert: Along the Vltava

On their third nighttime excursion, our twins Jari and Jolli follow a wondrous melody and this time they reach the land of the stringed instruments via the cocoa slide. There they meet the cheerful Violinos, the elf-like Bratschella and the mysterious Cellodia. What adventure involving string instruments awaits them this time?

3rd Cushion Concert: Jari and Jolli in the Land of the Caresses

Opernhaus Dortmund

There is no other symphony like this: two inner movements entitled "Night Music". As unusual as these movement titles are in a symphony, the characters of these two movements are just as unique. The first "Night Music" can be understood as a kind of nighttime walk, mixed with natural sounds such as birdsong and cowbells; the second is an idyllic serenade, in which the guitar and mandolin also have their say.

7th Philharmonic Concert: Song of the Night

At the Dortmund Philharmonic's coffee house concerts, shopping and music lovers can indulge themselves with coffee and cake from various ensembles on Saturday afternoon. Culinary delicacies are accompanied by an hour of entertaining music, from Mozart to jazz.

Coffee house concert

A highly attractive chamber music program that cannot be found in any other chamber concert series: two famous works from the core repertoire for string quartet stand alongside two witty, entertaining compositions in which bassoon and double bass join the classical quartet line-up.

4th Chamber Concert: String Quartet plus

Academy for Theater and Digitality

Because of its sonic charm, the recorder was often called Flauto dolce in the Baroque period. Maurice Steger is an eminent virtuoso of this instrument and a captivating musician who can be experienced in a colorful, varied program with late-romantic, luscious works for strings and solo concertos for recorder. We are sure that after this concert you will look at the recorder with different eyes.

3rd Concert Viennese Classic: Flauto dolce

The children's book classic from 1936 about the peaceful bull Ferdinand, who is not at all suitable as an attraction in the bullfighting arena, comes to life in an unexpected way in our concert. We have won the renowned Berlin composer Andreas Kersting for the music, who has also worked for the Berlin ATZE music theater. The scenic implementation will be designed in the tried and tested manner by the children's and youth theater .

1st Family Concert: Ferdinand the Bull

For a long time, Russian musical life was in a kind of deep sleep. It was not until the 1860s that Russian music began to revive, when missing musical institutions were founded and a public interested in music emerged. The path of Peter Tchaikovsky is exemplary; he would hardly have become a composer if he had not been able to attend the newly founded conservatory in St. Petersburg as one of the first students.

6th Philharmonic Concert: Sunrise

The twins Jari and Jolli have a secret that not even their parents know about. Night after night they meet at midnight in Dreamland and go down the cocoa slide into unknown worlds that are waiting to be discovered. This time they end up in a majestic sounding kingdom. Lots of golden and silver treasures are hidden there. But there are also lots of dangers lurking. Will you help Jari and Jolli on their treasure hunt? A pompous adventure all about brass instruments.

2nd Cushion Concert: Jari and Jolli on a Treasure Hunt

The Frenchman Olivier Messiaen composed his "Quartet for the End of Time" while he was interned in a prisoner of war camp near Görlitz, where the work was premiered on January 15, 1941. As with so many pieces by the deeply religious Catholic Messiaen, the title of the work refers to the Bible, more specifically the Book of Revelation. The Quatuor is an immediately moving, largely meditative classic of 20th century music that convinces even those who may be skeptical about this type of music.

3rd Chamber Concert: For the End of Time

Domicil Jazzclub

5th Philharmonic Concert: New Dimensions

Inspired by the Babylon Berlin series about Inspector Gereon Rath from Volker Kutscher's novels, the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra and General Music Director Gabriel Feltz invite you to a journey back in time to the 1920s and 1930s at the start of the year. It is about the music in the variety shows and cabarets and the way the soundscape of the big city, from the pub and the boulevard to the opium den and the brothel, has found expression in the music. It reflects the attitude to life in a time of crisis, which moves between intoxication and depression and is marked by the hectic pace of everyday life as well as the search for happiness. The colorful program includes two Dortmund audience favorites, Kammersänger Morgan Moody and Patricia Meeden, who not only vouch for musical quality, but also guarantee a great stage show.

New Year's Concert: Berlin – The Roaring Twenties

The two symphonies in the program reflect a world on the brink in a deeply impressive way. Benjamin Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem was written in 1940, shortly after the start of the Second World War. The symphony is a confessional work. The convinced pacifist Britten, then just 27 years old, takes a stand against the war in it as clearly "as possible". The reference to the Requiem, the funeral service in the Catholic liturgy, is expressed in the titles of the three movements of the compactly designed symphony, even without Britten calling in a choir or solo voices. The piece describes an arc that leads from mourning and a dance of death protesting against the madness of war to the rapturous calm in the last movement, "Requiem aeternam."

4th Philharmonic Concert: Am Abgrund

In his first concert with the Dortmund Philharmonic, Nicolas Altstaedt, one of the leading cellists of our time, will feature three composers who were all born in the multi-ethnic Habsburg state. The sensitive early classical world of Haydn's Cello Concerto meets the folkloristic tones struck by Bartók's pupil Sandor Veress and Antonín Dvořák in his dramatically agitated 7th Symphony.

2nd Concert of Viennese Classicism: From Habsburg Lands

This season, our three cushion concerts revolve around the adventures of the twins Jari and Jolli. The two have a secret that not even their parents know about. Night after night, they meet in Dreamland at the stroke of midnight and go down the cocoa slide into unknown worlds that are waiting to be discovered. This time, the cheeky Tirili and the cheeky Tirila are waiting for the two at the end of the slide. They have got into a fierce competition about who can sing the most beautiful tunes. Can the twins settle the argument? A fast-paced cushion concert based on woodwind instruments.

1st Cushion Concert: Jari and Jolli on the wrong track

He is the elementary mythical figure of the American self-image: the pioneer who follows the slogan "Go West!", advances into the wilderness and conquers the continent. He appears in many different forms, from trappers to settlers and cowboys to gold prospectors and railroad magnates. The immense expanse of the land, the unlimited possibilities, the development of individual freedom - all of this plays into this myth, which deliberately ignores the fact that the wilderness to be conquered was by no means deserted, but had been inhabited since time immemorial.

3rd Philharmonic Concert: Go West!

"I had to make a quick night of music," wrote Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on July 27, 1782 to his father Leopold about his Serenade in C minor, KV 388. This compositional milestone marks the end of a program with large-scale - and therefore unfortunately rarely heard - woodwind works that we have designed for our first concert in the impressive atmosphere of the salt warehouse of the Hansa coking plant. The program begins with the Octet in E-flat major, Op. 103 by Ludwig van Beethoven, a witty, playful and incredibly beautiful early work. The third work on the program is by the Czech composer Gideon Klein, who was killed in Auschwitz in 1945. His Divertimento, composed in 1939/1940, is a document of the inner resistance of an extraordinarily talented musician. The piece combines a vital, sometimes witty and aggressive divertimento spirit with a reflection of the threatening living situation in German-occupied Prague.

2nd Chamber Concert: Nacht Musique

Three days before Halloween, the Dortmund Philharmonic transforms the concert hall into a haunted house: This season's Hollywood hits are all about horror films. The nerve-racking pounding in John Carpenter's Halloween , the piercing knife stabs of the strings in the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , lots of pieces that create an eerie atmosphere - there is no shortage of wonderful material for an evening of music from horror films. Finally, a concert in which insane murderers, witches, slashers, vampires, monsters and those possessed by the devil also get their musical due.

2nd Concert for Young People: Hollywood Hits – Test of Courage: The Night of Horror

February 11, 1918 went down in music history as a milestone: the triumphant performance of the Fontane di Roma (The Fountains of Rome) under the conductor Arturo Toscanini brought the name of the composer Ottorino Respighi into the music world and at the same time proved that Italians could actually compose orchestral music. Until then, it had been an iron law that important Italian music could not exist without singing. With Respighi, there was once again a creator of orchestral works of European stature - for the first time since the Baroque period!

2nd Philharmonic Concert: Roma aeterna – Eternal Rome

had an impressive career, released six studio albums, filled concert halls on her tours and performed at open-air festivals. With us, you can experience her unique voice in songs such as All We Need is Love , Colours or Best Life in a very special way: in opulent symphonic orchestral arrangements and without a band.

1st Concert for Young People: Pop Symphony

The Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra is a guest at Phoenix des Lumières for the second time. This time, the program includes atmospheric and entertaining pieces for brass quintet, which are embedded in specially selected excerpts from the immersive exhibition world of Phoenix des Lumières: a unique concert experience.

From Gabrieli to Gershwin

At the Maxi Baby Concert, our little listeners and their big companions can go straight onto the stage to the orchestra. And for those who find the hall too big and the orchestra too loud, the Mini Baby Concert is perfect: Here you can enjoy chamber music in the beautiful atmosphere of the opera foyer!

1st Baby Concert MINI

That great music could transcend the everyday world and touch on philosophical truths was one of the widely shared beliefs in the Romantic era. This heaven-seeking aspiration was primarily associated with the genre of the symphony. Proclaiming it was easy for philosophers and writers in particular, while composers faced the less thankless task of fulfilling it. Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann in particular are lucky cases here. To this day, the ability to transcend oneself is part of the fascination of their works.

1st Philharmonic Concert: Towards Heaven

At the Maxi Baby Concert, our little listeners and their big companions are allowed to go straight onto the stage to the orchestra. And for those who find the hall too big and the orchestra too loud, the Mini Baby Concert is perfect: here you can enjoy chamber music in the beautiful atmosphere of the opera foyer!

1st Baby Concert MAXI

Violinist Chouchane Siranossian, who captivated the Dortmund audience in spring 2023 with Vivaldi's Four Seasons , returns with a program that also takes a look at the beginnings of Viennese Classicism. From a rarely heard violin concerto by Johann Christian Bach, the "London" Bach, who was a key source of inspiration for the eight-year-old Mozart, to the famous "Farewell Symphony", which is attributed to Haydn's "Sturm und Drang" period because of its radical expressiveness, to the perfect expression in the Kleine Nachtmusik, all phases of the Viennese Classicism era are represented in the concert.

1st Concert of Viennese Classicism: Classical Tour

Imagery and sensual sound are the key concepts of the concert program of French music, in which the name Thierry Escaich (*1965) stands out. He is among the crème de la crème of organists of our time and was appointed titular organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris when the famous church was ceremoniously reopened in December 2024 after a devastating fire. At the same time, Escaich is one of the leading French composers of our time. With this dual talent, he continues a venerable tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. We welcome him to Dortmund in this dual role: as soloist in his organ concerto Quatre Visages du temps . Escaich is above all a master of timbre, who drew inspiration for this large-scale, four-movement work from a journey through musical history, from the Baroque passacaglia to contemporary disco music.

6th Philharmonic Concert

The late G minor Symphony is one of Mozart's most famous creations. It contains everything that makes classical music special: perfect harmony and piercing dissonances, profound seriousness and joy in playfulness, driving rhythms and sounds whose beauty seems otherworldly. It is a wealth of musical contrasts that only a genius could balance. However great the contrasts, every note is in its rightful place.

3. Concert Deep Dive: Immerse yourself in Mozart's G minor Symphony

For many fans and connoisseurs, Charlie Chaplin's first feature film is his most personal and best: The Kid from 1921. This autobiographically grounded tragicomedy balances laughter and compassion in an inimitable way, captivating with sentimental elements as well as slapstick gags. Thanks to the irresistible performances of Chaplin and young Jackie Coogan in his debut role, realism, romance, and phantasmagoria combine to create a great cinematic experience. Unforgettable scenes include the lesson in table manners, the fight with the bully, and the Tramp's angelic dream.

Silent Film Concert: Charlie Chaplin: The Kid

3. Baby Concert

The Art of Fugue is both a hieratic late work and a piece of soulful music. In this contrasting program, canons and counterpoints from the famous piece are intertwined with works from various eras, from early to modern music.

3rd Chamber Concert: The Art of Fugue in Dialogue

St. Mary's Church, Dortmund

The four symphonies of Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) are among the core works of all great conductors and orchestras. Their expressive power is so rich, the creative possibilities these works offer so diverse, that embarking on a journey of discovery through their scores is always an adventure. In the two special concerts of his first season with the Dortmund Philharmonic, Jordan de Souza will bring us his Brahms – performing the complete cycle on two consecutive evenings.

Brahms Cycle 1

In the summer of 1826, Felix Mendelssohn, just 17 years old, wrote one of his most acclaimed works to date: the overture to Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream . The atmospheric opening wind chords transport us directly to the spiritual realm of Romanticism. The whirring of the strings, a highly virtuosic performance, conjures up images of elves and other luminous folk dancing before our inner eyes. It is almost a miracle that the young Mendelssohn was able to create such a work of art, so influential on the era, so early in his career.

7th Philharmonic Concert

Childhood as a significant phase of life was a discovery of the 19th century. Robert Schumann's Kinderszenen (  Scenes from Childhood) is just as much a musical expression of the appreciation of children as Mussorgsky's Kinderstube (The Nursery) or Debussy's Children's Corner .

8th Philharmonic Concert

4th Baby Concert

Beethoven's magnificent Septet was for a long time the composer's undisputed most popular work. Here, he reveals himself not as the titan he was stylized as in the 19th century, but as approachable, cheerful, and filled with an unbridled joy of making music. A feast of a completely different kind is the arrangement of Richard Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel : a sparkling piece of musical humor.

4. Chamber Concert: Favorite Pieces

Kokerei Hansa

Oops, something's happening! Was Marie dreaming, or did that just come from the giggling and clattering of the toy box in her bedroom? Marie carefully lifts the lid and can't stop marveling... A playful, hands-on concert for children aged 3 and up, with music from Robert Schumann's famous Kinderszenen and Claude Debussy's Children 's Corner , among others .

3. Seat Cushion Concert: The Toy Box

Tan Dun Three Muses in Video Games , Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds and other works by various composers

A unique, hands-on concert: If you'd like to not just listen to music at a concert but also actively participate, Tan Dun's Passacaglia – Secret of Wind and Birds is the perfect opportunity. The only requirement: don't forget your smartphone!

Dortmunder Philharmoniker

17 - 18 Mar, 2026

6th Philharmonic Concert

Mar 30, 2026

3. Concert Deep Dive: Immerse yourself in Mozart's G minor Symphony

Apr 14, 2026

Silent Film Concert: Charlie Chaplin: The Kid

Jun 23, 2025 - Apr 20, 2026

Library Concert: Texts meet sounds

Apr 20, 2026

3. Baby Concert

24 - 25 Feb, 2026

5th Philharmonic Concert

Feb 15, 2026

2nd Family Concert: Dodo goes to the World Cup

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Dortmunder Philharmoniker