June at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg promises a vibrant array of musical experiences, from the enigmatic 'Blind Date' event to the intimate Kosmos Jazz workshop. Musical luminaries, including Thomas Quasthoff and Anna Geniushene, grace the stage, while rising talents like Zhouhui Shen make their presence felt. Whether you're a jazz aficionado or a classical music lover, the Elbphilharmonie's lineup offers something for everyone, creating a tapestry of sound that brings the concert hall to life.

The Sound of Elbphilharmonie: A June Experience

At Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, a remarkable series of events unfolds, each offering a unique musical experience. From the intriguing spontaneity of 'Blind Date' to the inclusive energy of 'Kosmos Jazz,' these events cover a wide range of genres and formats. With workshops like 'Kreativ Sound Safari' and 'Kosmos Gamelan,' participants are invited to explore sounds in innovative ways. Family events like the 'Family Orchestra' bring generations together in harmony, while concerts like 'Klangzeit' provide a relaxing escape through music. This array of events promises an engaging journey through the world of music for all ages.

Elbphilharmonie's Diverse Musical Odyssey: A Year of Sound and Discovery

When Sergei Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto was first performed in September 1913, with the composer at the piano, the audience was furious: "To hell with futuristic music. Cats on the roof make better music." Prokofiev bowed as if being applauded – and played an encore. Over a century later, what today's ears consider a rather "moderate" concerto, which begins with an almost romantic theme and features the most difficult solo cadenza of all time, has long been recognized as a masterpiece. The jubilation for soloist Alexander Gadjiev is surely genuine. This is the first time the polyglot pianist, born on the Italian-Slovenian border, has appeared with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.

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NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Double bassist, composer, singer, and orchestra leader – the musical life of the French master Henri Texier has many facets. One of these was his intensive engagement with the indigenous peoples of America, to whom he dedicated a trilogy of albums. At the Elbphilharmonie, the Henri Texier Septet performs the profound music of "An Indian's Life."

Henri Texier Septet

For almost 50 years, the "El Sistema" initiative, Venezuela's large-scale music development program, has been a fixture in national and international musical life. The youth orchestras, in particular, have made a name for themselves under the direction of renowned conductors – the most famous example is the orchestra named after freedom fighter Simón Bolívar, with its chief conductor Gustavo Dudamel, which, strictly speaking, is no longer a youth orchestra. The successor orchestra, featuring highly talented and motivated young musicians, star conductor Sir Simon Rattle, and Gustav Mahler's beloved First Symphony, is now coming to Hamburg.

National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela / Sir Simon Rattle

The award-winning vocal ensemble Art'n'Voices from Gdansk celebrates its debut at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and presents an extraordinary programme full of emotional depth and musical sophistication. Traditional Christmas carols such as »Leise rieselt der Schnee« and »Carol of the Bells« will be performed in a new guise, complemented by specially composed works by Polish avant-garde composers such as Marek Raczyński and Anna Rocławska-Musiałczyk, the ensemble's director. The music captures the atmosphere of dark winter nights, the sound of the sea and the magic of Christmas. Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Arvo Pärt and Sting round off the programme.

Art’n’Voices

Under the direction of its new chief conductor, François-Xavier Roth, the SWR Symphony Orchestra presents two revolutionary composers side by side: Ludwig van Beethoven and Helmut Lachenmann. The first, a giant of Viennese Classical music, the second, a post-war sound pioneer. Both not only pushed musical boundaries with their works, but also consistently challenged their audiences' listening habits. Although Lachenmann, who turned 90 in November, strikes a completely different tone than Beethoven, he clearly places himself in the latter's tradition as a rebel and free spirit: "Beethoven was the first to consciously stop composing to please!"

SWR Symphony Orchestra / Jean-François Heisser / François-Xavier Roth

The »Herbert Pixner Projekt« is celebrating its 20th anniversary on stage and the birthday programme has it all: euphoria, energy, excitement, improvisation – a firework display of alpine music, flamenco, jazz, blues, rock and world music.

Herbert Pixner Project

In the next instalment of its »Dark Room« series, the multi-award-winning ensemble will present the »Polar Concert in the Dark« together with star saxophonist Asya Fateyeva: The audience is led into darkness, where they experience a live radio play about polar explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, who in 1911 engaged in a bitter and deadly race across the icy expanses of Antarctica in their attempt to be the first humans to reach the South Pole.

Orchestra in the stairwell

When one of Europe’s most renowned boys’ choirs, the famous Regensburger Domspatzen, presents a Christmas programme with one of the leading baritones of our time, Benjamin Appl, then visitors can look forward to the highest quality and a special Advent concert. Famous chorales and motets will be performed alongside particularly beautiful Christmas carols such as »Es ist ein Ros entsprungen« und »Adeste fideles«. The concert will be performed largely a cappella, i.e. without an orchestra, and will get the audience in Hamburg in the mood for Advent in a contemplative and festive way. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Regensburg Cathedral Choir / Benjamin Appl / Christian Heiss

This artist is simply incredible! In recent years, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko has collected first prizes at international piano competitions like other people collect stamps. He won three in 2022, and two more in 2024 – and those are just the most important competitions. To say that the Canadian is a magnificent pianist seems almost an understatement: Up and down the country, the press and audiences praise his outstanding technique, the depth of his interpretations, and his charisma. We will be hearing more from Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, that's for sure. And soon, at ProArte: At the Elbphilharmonie, the pianist will present sophisticated and virtuosic works from Bach to Scriabin.

Discover Talent: Jaeden Izik-Dzurko / Piano Recital

The Hamburg Doctors’ Orchestra is mainly made up of doctors and musicians from medical professions. The orchestra was founded in 1964 and performs for charitable purposes: for example, to support the work of the Hamburg Hospice Foundation.

Hamburg Doctors' Orchestra

What does classical music sound like today? Astonishingly diverse, of course! And no one could know this better than the Frankfurt-based Ensemble Modern – the leading ensemble for cutting-edge music, which has been shaking up the classical music world for more than four decades. Under the direction of the accomplished star conductor Sylvain Cambreling, it performs works by two very different composers with whom the musicians have enjoyed a long-standing collaboration: the Berlin-based South Korean composer Unsuk Chin and the German grandmaster Helmut Lachenmann, whom the Ensemble Modern also congratulates on his 90th birthday.

Ensemble Modern / Sylvain Cambreling

James Holden, a British hero of the electronic music scene, and Wacław Zimpel, experimental jazz clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist, share a common passion: trance states in and with music. They have been working together for several years, and the EP "Long Weekend" is now followed by "The Universe Will Take Care of You," a program that once again promises multifaceted beats and synth sounds that oscillate between rave, jazz club, and South Indian musical traditions.

James Holden / Waclaw Zimpel

Helmut Lachenmann has written three works for string quartet – the pinnacle of chamber music, or as he himself calls it: a "good, old, venerable, and tradition-laden ensemble." Who could be better suited to break the traditional tonal and structural boundaries of this genre than the Swabian native – the relentless rebel among contemporary composers? To mark his 90th birthday, two friendly ensembles, Quatuor Diotima and Ensemble Resonanz, will perform all three string quartets, demonstrating in one evening the diverse paths Lachenmann has taken.

Helmut Lachenmann: The String Quartets

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Konstantin Krimmel / Andris Poga

Shkoon – Thorben Diekmann and Ameen Khayer, a Syrian-German duo formed in Hamburg in 2015. Their music combines Arabic folklore, song, and rap with Western electronic music. With this danceable mix – Shkoon calls it "musical diplomacy" – the duo has enjoyed worldwide success and has been touring between Doha and Toronto, Beirut, and Paris since December 2024 with their "Greater than One" tour.

Shkoon

Jakub Hrůša is not only one of the greatest conductors of our time: the charismatic Czech is also known for his cleverly conceived concert programs, opening up new perspectives on seemingly familiar works. At his concert, audiences can look forward to a truly prime example of this special art: Together with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, he will perform Beethoven's Pastorale and Richard Strauss's Alpine Symphony – two spectacular orchestral spectacles of nature that powerfully transcended the boundaries of what was musically possible at their time. In his monumentally orchestrated Alpine Symphony, Strauss demonstrates not only his stature as a composer but also his brilliant skills as an orchestrator, allowing the vast orchestra to shimmer and radiate in all its colors.

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra / Jakub Hrůša

The renowned Fauré Quartet expands its sound palette with the Finnish double bass player Janne Saksala, soloist and principal double bass of the Berliner Philharmoniker since 2008. Together they will present a programme that brings together the highlights of Romantic chamber music. The focus is on Franz Schubert’s immortal »Forellenquintett«, whose effervescent liveliness and catchy melodies take on a new depth in the interpretation of this exceptional ensemble. This masterpiece is complemented by Schubert’s rarely performed »Adagio« and »Rondo Concertant« as well as Robert Schumann’s passionate piano quartet, a masterpiece of the genre that reflects the entire emotional world of Romanticism.

Fauré Quartett / Janne Saksala

Fauré Quartet / Janne Saksala

Philippe Herreweghe, a grand seigneur of historical performance practice and clever programming, brings a particularly piquant pair of works into conversation in his ProArte concert. On the one hand, there is Ludwig van Beethoven's powerful "Eroica," revolution in music, which, according to legend, was originally dedicated to the revolutionary Napoleon. On the other, there is the haunting Requiem in C minor by Luigi Cherubini, commissioned by King Louis XVIII, who succeeded Napoleon as ruler. What unites the works, however, is the absolute mastery of craftsmanship—and mutual respect—of the two composers: Beethoven even wished that the Requiem in C minor be played at his funeral (which it was).

Orchestra of the Champs-Élysées / Collegium Vocale Gent / Philippe Herreweghe

Around 1920, the composer Emánuel Moór had the vision of building the piano of the future. His duplex piano with two manuals was born out of the spirit of the late Romantic period and offers even more tonal colours and a greater richness of sound. On an ordinary piano, one touch of the keys causes a hammer to strike the string. With the duplex piano, two hammers can be coupled: one keystroke then produces two tones simultaneously. This doubling of the tones leads to an unimagined fullness of sound in the forte, and to a magical brilliance of sound in the piano. The two manuals allow for differentiated layers of sound.

Duplex Piano – The Piano with Two Manuals

The Hamburg State Orchestra's Philharmonic Concerts become contemporary plays, transcending the boundaries of the ordinary. This concert features Ella Milch-Sheriff's musical interpretation of the texts from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" – some of Mahler's songs are replaced by new compositions by her, inspired by the original. Mahler confronts us today as a mirror of the past and, through Milch-Sheriff, as a part of the here and now. This unabashedly engaging musical play opens new perspectives on our musical culture, our thinking and being, and our way of receiving music.

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra / Annika Schlicht / Benjamin Appl / Adam Fischer

No one can ignore him: Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous composers in music history—if not the most famous. Yet his music never becomes boring; even after more than 200 years, it is full of discoveries. Both violinist Isabelle Faust and the Balthasar Neumann Orchestra captivate with their meticulously detailed, energetic interpretations—the perfect setting for a concert featuring two classics and a rarity.

Balthasar Neuman Orchestra / Isabelle Faust / Finnegan Downie Dear

The music of the French composer Maurice Ravel is full of fantasy and colours. The musical theatre »Chez Maurice« takes the audience along into the home where Ravel grew up as a child. From his father, an engineer and inventor, a lot of machinery and equipment stand about there. They make weird noises, cast magical shadows and stimulate the imagination of the young Ravel. Step by step, Belgian chamber music ensemble Revue Blanche reveals his creative world. And of course several of Ravel’s original compositions ring out at the same time.

Twinkle Concert L / Chez Maurice

If any orchestra has Sibelius's music in its veins, it's the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra: The orchestra has premiered almost all of Finland's national composer's symphonic works and, through its tours, has contributed significantly to his international fame. The First Symphony, in particular, is a true home game. At the conductor's desk and on solo violin are two top Finnish musicians, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Pekka Kuusisto.

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Pekka Kuusisto / Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Last season, Raphaël Pichon and his Ensemble Pygmalion thrilled Hamburg audiences with a moving performance of Johannes Brahms's "German Requiem." Almost a year later, they are now turning their attention to other sonorous vocal-symphonic works by the composer, including his beloved First Symphony.

Pygmalion / Stéphane Degout / Raphaël Pichon

Cleverly conceived and unusual programs are Víkingur Ólafsson's trademark. Whether he's bringing Bach into conversation with Kurtág, Debussy with Rameau—or simply spending a whole season playing exclusively Bach's Goldberg Variations: When the Icelander sits at the piano, you can be sure of discovering new things and hearing familiar things in a completely new way.

Víkingur Ólafsson / Piano Recital

A tribute to one of the giants of the Indian sound cosmos: North and South Indian music unite in memory of the tabla legend Zakir Hussain to create a vision – for the future of classical music from the subcontinent.

Triveni Ensemble

With »Catch & Release«, Matt Simons has already achieved something at the beginning of his career that many artists work towards in vain their entire lives: To create a track that will not only outlast him, but in a way has already made him a legend in his own lifetime. The wonderfully withdrawn, emotional indie song was the title track of his second album »Catch & Release«, which Matt Simons released just two years after his debut album »Pieces« (2014). The artist made a name for himself with the album, particularly in Europe.

Matt Simons

"The Gewandhaus Orchestra strikes at the heart," was the headline in the Hamburger Abendblatt after the top orchestra's last ProArte guest appearance. With Chief Conductor Andris Nelsons conducting and works by Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Brahms on the podium, audiences can look forward to the finest musical artistry again this season. In their core repertoire, the Leipzig orchestra is unsurpassed thanks to its warm sound and simultaneously excellent and radiantly cast wind soloists.

Gewandhausorchester / Seong-Jin Cho / Andris Nelsons

Two of the most touching voices of the Iberian Peninsula with a joint program: Sílvia Pérez Cruz, the most beautiful voice in Catalonia, and the Portuguese quick-change artist Salvador Sobral let the vocal art between Lisbon and Barcelona shine in all colors.

Silvia Pérez Cruz / Salvador Sobral

The human voice has always been and continues to be of paramount importance in Catalan music. With the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana, vocal splendor shimmers across centuries and styles.

Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana

The renowned Cobla Sant Jordi Orchestra from Barcelona will be honored to perform at the Elbphilharmonie. Founded in 1983, the ensemble masterfully combines the traditional circle dances of Catalonia, the sardanas, with new, more daring compositions for a contemporary sound. Sophisticated orchestral music with street origins. A festive Mediterranean atmosphere is guaranteed!

Cobla Sant Jordi – City of Barcelona

Catalonia is said to be somewhat like Spain's "Gallic village"—proud, somewhat stubborn, and full of strong personalities. With the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra under the direction of its chief conductor Ludovic Morlot and world-class soprano Nuria Rial, important Catalan cultural ambassadors are coming to Hamburg—bringing music from their homeland with them, accompanied by perhaps the most famous pieces by Ravel and Debussy.

Barcelona Symphony Orchestra / Nuria Rial / Ludovic Morlot

Are ancient musical traditions dusty and out of date? The Catalan vocal duo Tarta Relena proves otherwise: Starting from their Spanish homeland, the two young women scour the entire Mediterranean region, from southern France to Italy and North Africa, for songs to which they add incredible creativity, synth sounds and beats to their diverse yet intertwined voices. This mix has garnered worldwide acclaim, from major festivals to the legendary "NPR Tiny Desk Concert."

Tarta Relena

"No one else has managed to fill music with such meaning and consistent beauty." That's what Herbert Blomstedt says about Anton Bruckner. And his countless admirers say it about Blomstedt, who has filled the concert halls of the world with his humble interpretations, his unpretentious personality, and his insatiable need for musical communication for more than an incredible 70 years. The 97-year-old maestro's outstanding experience with Bruckner has already manifested itself in numerous CD recordings with various orchestras as well as in repeated Bruckner performances with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, to which he has returned regularly since his time as chief conductor. Blomstedt now concludes this series—most recently with the Sixth in October 2019 and the Seventh in June 2022—with Bruckner's Ninth and final Symphony.

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Herbert Blomstedt

The two simply have a connection: Catalan guitarist Juan Gómez "Chicuelo" and Spanish pianist Marco Mezquida. They have known each other since 2013 and celebrate a deep musical alliance of flamenco and Latin jazz. Together with their long-time accompanist, the congenial percussionist Paco de Mode, they present their latest album "Del alma."

Marco Mezquida & Chicuelo

Filippo Bonamici aka Fil Bo Riva carries numerous cultural influences like few other artists: the son of an Italian father and a German mother, he has lived in Italy, Germany, Ireland and Spain. His sound is international in the best sense of the word, and the gifted songwriter has already played sold-out shows all over Central Europe, including at festivals such as The Great Escape, Eurosonic and the Montreux Jazz Festival. He has already shared the stage on tour with Milky Chance, Matt Corby and Joan As Police Woman.

Fil Bo Riva

Teodor Currentzis is a charismatic, eccentric, and downright notorious for his interpretations, which reveal entirely new facets of music in terms of tempo and dynamics. Now the audience favorite returns to the Elbphilharmonie with his top-class international orchestra. They bring with them the "Ring Without Words," a kind of best-of of the most beautiful passages from Wagner's opera tetralogy "The Ring of the Nibelung" – entirely without singing.

Utopia / Teodor Currentzis

"An overwhelming piece of music with extreme emotions, phenomenally crafted, beautiful, wild, and very erotic," raved the British Guardian when the Budapest Festival Orchestra, with its founder and chief conductor Iván Fischer, released a recording of Richard Strauss's "Joseph's Legend" in 2018. Indeed, the story of the pious Joseph, who is first seduced and then coldly betrayed by the wife of the Egyptian court official Potiphar in the palace, leaves nothing to be desired musically – not least because Strauss deploys just about everything an orchestra has to offer: huge string and wind sections, several harps, piano, six timpani, castanets, and even an effervescent wind machine. A sound spectacle for which the Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie provides the ideal acoustics.

Budapest Festival Orchestra / Alina Ibragimova / Ivan Fischer

For four years, star pianist Kit Armstrong has dedicated himself to Ludwig van Beethoven together with conductor Jan Caeyers and his orchestra – in a total of 27 concerts. The main part of this concert consists of two works by Beethoven, the Fourth Symphony and the »Andante favouri«, which are played relatively rarely, probably because they are bursting with sunshine and light-heartedness, which is quite untypical of Beethoven. They are an expression of Beethoven’s optimism at the time, which was partly work-related – but also related to his relationship with Josephine von Brunsvik, his presumed »immortal lover«, to whom he dedicated the »Andante favouri«.

The Olympic Concert / Kit Armstrong / Jan Caeyers

Linda May Han Oh is one of the most sought-after bassists on the international jazz scene. She has played with Pat Metheny, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Vijay Iyer, and released her sixth album as a bandleader, "The Glass Hours," in 2023. In it, the Australian explores moving themes such as isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, death, and motherhood.

Linda May Han Oh

A musical journey through the diverse sounds of the guitar couldn't be more varied. From virtuosically played classical music to melodic jazz and swinging rhythms – Colors of Guitars demonstrates the infinite versatility and beauty of this instrument.

Colors of Guitars

With minimal music, a new style of music emerged from the 1960s in the USA with catchy, continually repeating melodies or rhythms, commonly called »Patterns«. Composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass made this style world famous. In this workshop, participants learn something about this musical style, play on xylophones and metallophones and come up with their own minimal music piece at the end.

Workshop: Kosmos Minimal Music

Elbphilharmonie

Zaho de Sagazan began her stellar career in France in early 2023 and has been causing a stir internationally since her performances at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris and at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. The 25-year-old is currently the face and voice of French chanson par excellence. Zaho de Sagazan now appears at the Elbphilharmonie with orchestral arrangements of the songs from her debut album »La symphonie des éclairs«.

Zaho of Sagazan symphonic

"With unaffected phrasing, Wegener's charming voice draws the listener into the heart of the music" – this is how Gramophone Magazine raved about the 2021 album "Zueignung," with which soprano Sarah Wegener documented her affinity for the songs of Richard Strauss and the close artistic connection with her piano partner Götz Payer. Under the title "Naturträume," the duo now also bears witness to their creative power at the Elbphilharmonie.

Sarah Wegener / Song Recital

It's virtuosic, swinging, and shimmering in every tonal palette – there's just one catch: Ravel's Piano Concerto in D major can only be played with one hand! Anna Vinnitskaya is one of the few pianists to have this exceptional work in her repertoire. A stroke of luck for the Hamburg audience! And a homecoming for the Hamburg piano professor, who has found her home in the Hanseatic city since studying at the local music academy – and from there has conquered the piano stages of the world. 

Vienna Symphony Orchestra / Anna Vinnitskaya / Petr Popelka

Joep Beving is one of the most frequently heard living pianists in the world. After two sold-out concerts in the Elbphilharmonie’s Grand Hall, Joep is returning to the Elbphilharmonie in November for a particularly intimate concert to mark the 10th anniversary of his debut album »Solipsism« – in the Recital Hall.

Joep Beving

Duet or duel? There's no question that Cecilia Bartoli and Lang Lang are among the greatest virtuosos in their respective fields. But they probably never dreamed that they would one day share the stage together for an entire tour. Their first musical encounter took place in 2008, when Cecilia Bartoli organized a gala concert with many famous colleagues in honor of the 200th anniversary of the death of the celebrated opera singer Maria Malibran. Lang Lang was there too – and the spark flew immediately! The same energy, the same preference for colors and delicate nuances in music, but also the same playful joy in pitting their virtuosity against each other in a humorous duel. The fact that the continuation of their collaboration, already planned back then, is now finally becoming a reality is nothing short of a sensation.

Cecilia Bartoli & Lang Lang

Famous for its passionate and tempestuous sound, the Pavel Haas Quartet is primarily dedicated to the rich repertoire of its native Czech lands. In this concert, they bring together three string quartets from the 1930s that not only tell a tragic love story but also demonstrate the diversity of the musical landscape of the time.

Pavel Haas Quartet

»World’s Fair« war 2015 das erste Soloalbum von Julian Lage, einem lange als Gitarrenwunderkind gehandeltem Jungen aus der San Francisco Bay Area. Eine melancholische, intime Aufnahme, die klingt, als würde der Musiker in sein Wohnzimmer marschieren, sich eine Gitarre schnappen und loslegen. Bei seinem Solokonzert in der Elbphilharmonie präsentiert Julian Lage die zeitlose Musik zwischen Jazz, Klassik und Folk nun in einem etwas größeren Wohnzimmer.

Julian Lage

It's hard to believe that there are any top international orchestras that haven't yet performed at the Elbphilharmonie—especially such legendary ones! But the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's guest performance is indeed a premiere, and one with the potential to be the concert of the year.

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra / Martin Fröst / Lahav Shani

Everything is completely quiet. There is no one around. Do humans hibernate, like hedgehogs? And why do they hide away? That’s what Miroslav, Maurice, Jakob, Christoph and Zufit are asking themselves. You too have been sitting in your rooms at home for far too long, getting incredibly bored. It’s so much nicer to play, run and jump around together – and sometimes even to argue.

Twinkle Concert L / Five wins!

The Hamburg Stage Ensemble invites you to an extraordinary concert experience in which the solo skills of the musicians take centre stage. The programme includes masterpieces from different eras and combines works by Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann and Ernest Bloch to create a fascinating musical arc. This concert promises not only technical perfection, but also a journey into the emotional depths of music. It offers a unique blend of virtuosity, expressiveness and stylistic diversity that will delight music lovers.

Hamburg Stage Ensemble

Hardly any other Baroque opera has recently gained as much popularity as »Dido and Aeneas« (1689). This entertaining and deeply moving work was penned by the congenial English composer Henry Purcell. The tear-jerking lament »When I am laid« has become famous – the climax of a tragic love affair between the Carthaginian princess Dido and the Trojan prince Aeneas. But a magical world, cunning witches and a hunting society also invite you to enjoy listening and smiling.

Monteverdi-Chor Hamburg / decorated company Berlin / Antonius Adamske

The young, likeable and down-to-earth German-Italian pianist Sophie Pacini has already performed on stage with Andrea Bocelli and Martha Argerich, has received numerous awards, and, according to her own statement, can smell, taste, and see sounds in color. With her wide-ranging program, with which she opens this season's "Pianomania" series, not only she herself but also the audience will experience a true explosion of the senses.

Sophie Pacini / Piano Recital

He is one of the great masters of cinematic sounds of our time: Argentinian Gustavo Santaolalla has turned films such as »The Motorcyle Diaries«, »Nanga Parbat« and »Brokeback Mountain« into complete works of art with his music. He is also a successful producer and inventive string instrumentalist. He comes to the Elbphilharmonie with a multi-faceted programme that traces his life’s work.

Gustavo Santaolalla

Trio Lirico is an ensemble of international renown: founded in 2014, the ensemble unites the high-calibre artists Franziska Pietsch, Atilla Aldemir and Hila Karni, who dedicate themselves to a broad and exquisite repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary music. The ensemble’s debut album on the 100th anniversary of Max Reger’s death has already attracted great international attention and was nominated for prestigious awards such as the ICMA and the German Record Critics’ Award.

Lyric Trio

At the centre of the evening are two iconic cycles of piano literature: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations, a masterpiece of baroque structure and contemplative stillness, and Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Préludes, an emotional mosaic – from floating melancholy to eruptive passion. Xi Zhai, who trained in Shanghai and Frankfurt, has established himself as a subtle interpreter with exceptional expressiveness. His playing, characterised by tonal clarity, stylistic finesse and technical elegance, always focuses on the essentials: revealing the inner content of the music. An evening for fine ears – concentrated, poetic, intense.

Xi Zhai / Piano Recital

Beethoven, Brahms, Bach – these have been Igor Levit's most important companions in recent years. The fact that his new program includes sonatas by Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin alongside Robert Schumann's Nocturnes is a cause for concern. "There are composers I prefer to listen to rather than play," Levit declared for many years when it came to Chopin. Of course, as probably every trained pianist does, he studied his etudes and sonatas during his studies, but this exploration only rarely found its way into the public eye. Until now! The third sonata, which Chopin himself called a "concerto without an orchestra," forms the significant climax of his piano recital at the Elbphilharmonie.

Igor Levit / Piano Recital

Concerts with South African cellist Abel Selaocoe are always an experience. Not only because he combines his classical virtuoso skills with body percussion and vocals from his homeland, but also because he continually seeks to connect with the audience. At his most recent concert with the Aurora Orchestra, he transformed the Elbphilharmonie into a large choir, creating magical moments. He also delights audiences all over the world with his solo programs. The British newspaper "Telegraph" described him as a "radiantly talented one-man band" for his unique combination of cello, rhythm, and vocals.

Abel Selaocoe, Cello

Flairdrum

The Hamburg State Orchestra's Philharmonic Concerts become TimePlays, transcending the boundaries of the ordinary. This concert features Aziza Sadikova's compositional exploration of Tchaikovsky's character – the second and third movements of his symphony are replaced by new compositions by her, inspired by the original. Tchaikovsky encounters us today as a mirror of the past and, through Sadikova, as a part of the here and now. This unabashedly engaging musical play opens new perspectives on our musical culture, our thinking and being, and our way of receiving music.

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra / Holly Hyun Choe

Like few other orchestras, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra represents the unique unifying power of music. With members from 25 nations, organized as a democratic collective in which every voice counts, it is only too happy to collaborate with soloists for whom cosmopolitanism and freedom of expression are equally important. A dedicated musician like Igor Levit is therefore the ideal partner for the MCO! When a piano concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven, for whom freedom of artistic expression was always his highest priority, is also on the program, it is clear that making music together takes on a political dimension. And Franz Schubert's "Great" Symphony in C major also fits perfectly into this cleverly conceived program: After all, his large-scale orchestral work was modeled on Beethoven's Ninth Symphony – the ultimate work of freedom!

Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Igor Levit / Adam Fischer

Maxi Haug started Shitney Beers as a solo project with melancholic indie folk songs. On the third album, "Amity Island," he's transformed it into genuine '90s indie rock with a five-piece band that puts you in a good mood. Despite some serious topics, from misgendering to heartbreak in the friend zone.

Shitney Beers

Just build your own musical instrument? This is possible with the »flair drum«! This instrument consists of recycled PET bottles and is played like a xylophone. By inflating the bottles with different amounts of air pressure, different notes and a unique Caribbean sound are formed. Even the construction process is a lot of fun – and playing together then all the more so!

Workshop: Kosmos Flaidrum

Anyone who associates the lute only with early music isn't familiar with David Bergmüller. The Austrian brings his instrument into a wide variety of contexts, genres, and eras. His latest solo project, "Know Thyself," which premiered in Vienna in early 2025, combines lute sounds in an atmospheric and poetic way with synthesizer sounds, loops, and effects.

David Bergmüller

What would a concert season at the Elbphilharmonie be without Igor Levit? The star pianist is one of the house's regulars, whether as a soloist, with a large orchestra, or in special programs such as his concert "Against Silence - Against Antisemitism" in autumn 2024. Now he returns with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the internationally renowned ensemble that confidently embarks on a cheerful performance of Shostakovich and Beethoven without a conductor.

Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Igor Levit

The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt acts as a pivot within music history. On the one hand, he is one of the most successful composers of so-called New Music, even though he quickly distanced himself aesthetically from the experiments of the post-war avant-garde. On the other hand, medieval Gregorian chant – "music with soul, without harmony or meter," as he once said – served as his greatest source of inspiration. In this respect, it seems only logical that the celebrated British choir Tenebrae has now designed a program that presents Pärt's music in the context of composers from the Middle Ages and the present.

Darkness / George Herbert / Nigel Short

"I love to surprise people!" And people love her for it: Anna Lapwood doesn't fit the conventional image of an organist. Millions of people watch her Midnight Sessions from the Royal Albert Hall and celebrate her videos on TikTok or Instagram as she enthusiastically recounts the seemingly limitless possibilities and pitfalls of her instrument. Pirates of the Caribbean on the organ? No problem for the British musician, who also uses her videos to highlight the artistic feats associated with organ playing, which normally take place hidden away in the organ loft. She already knows the Elbphilharmonie instrument very well from her "sessions" there : "I find it fascinating how you can play with the space to create a bit of the illusion of a large cathedral in terms of sound. It's incredible to play here."

Anna Lapwood / Organ Concert

The legendary drummer Wolfgang Haffner has been on stage for 50 years. That’s a reason to celebrate! Haffner is gathering together an illustrious list of guests, friends and companions who have made their mark on his career. Who exactly will be there remains a surprise for the time being. What is certain is that it will be a jazz concert in a class of its own.

Wolfgang Haffner & Friends

Chad Lawson’s concerts sometimes feel like a successful therapy session. In addition to his soft, soulful piano compositions, he knows above all how to incorporate them into an overall concept of moderation and music, allowing his audience to sink into their concert seats in a deeply relaxed manner. And so you can look forward not only to lots of new music, but above all to an all-round relaxed and inspiring evening.

Chad Lawson

Located within the base section of the Elbphilharmonie building on floors 2 and 3 are the Kaistudios, home to the Elbphilharmonie’s World of Instruments and extensive music education programme. The largest Kaistudio is the Elbphilharmonie’s third concert hall – ideal for concerts, experimental music, seminars and workshops for up to 150 guests.

String Day

Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi hardly needs an introduction in Hamburg. He gives numerous concerts here every year with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, of which he has been Artistic Director since 2004, and as Music Director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. Since 2011, Järvi has established another musical pillar with the Pärnu Music Festival, which he founded himself. The reputation of the festival and its resident ensemble – the Estonian Festival Orchestra – now extends far beyond the Baltics. Now he is returning with the ensemble and a program dedicated exclusively to the music of Järvi's famous compatriot Arvo Pärt, marking the 90th birthday of his son.

Estonian Festival Orchestra / Hans Christian Aavik / Midori / Paavo Järvi

The soloists Albrecht Mayer (oboe), Theo Plath (bassoon) and Fabian Müller (piano) invite you to an extraordinary evening of chamber music that is entirely characterised by French sound culture. With incomparable elegance, esprit and subtle melancholy, the musicians present a multi-faceted programme that focuses on the masterpieces of the 20th century.

Albrecht Mayer / Theo Plath / Fabian Müller

A very special anniversary concert awaits the audience this Sunday: 35 years have passed since German reunification! To mark this anniversary, Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony will be performed exactly 201 years after it was composed. Under the direction of renowned conductor Elisabeth Fuchs, the Philharmonie Salzburg will perform Verdi’s overture to »La forza del destino« to kick off the event.

Anniversary concert: 35 years of German unity

Immanuel Wilkins is no longer an insider tip. He first attracted international attention five years ago when his debut album, "Omega," was named "Jazz Album of the Year 2020" by the "New York Times" – at the time, the Philadelphia saxophonist and composer was just 22 years old. Two years later, he and his quartet performed at the Elbphilharmonie's "Fast Lane" series, and most recently, he thrilled Hamburg audiences in November 2023 at guitarist Bill Frisell's "Reflektor" festival. He has since released his third album, which he now presents, once again with his quartet, at the Elbphilharmonie.

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet

A wolf roams forlornly through sombre wastelands and dreams of wild forests and better worlds. He wants to change something and cries: raises his paws and his voice! Scarily beautiful 360-degree projections transform the emptied Recital Hall of the Elbphilharmonie into a wilderness; the musicians of Ensemble Resonanz contribute atmospheric modern sounds by the composer and electric zither player Leopold Hurt.

School Concert »Wolf«

By the time of his residency in the 2023/2024 season, Joshua Bell had won the hearts of the NDR audience with his breathtakingly singing violin tone and flawless technique—assuming they weren't already fans of this living violin legend. Now the American returns with Camille Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3, premiered in Hamburg exactly 145 years ago (on October 15, 1880) by the then-virtuoso violinist Pablo de Sarasate. This highly romantic, passionate piece is comparatively rarely heard, although its second movement, in particular, with its irresistibly catchy melody, is likely to be singable to everyone.

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Josua Bell / Alan Gilbert

"I can hardly wait to play one of the truly most important piano trios in music history with a Tchaikovsky interpreter who is simply incomparable. And in my favorite hall, the Elphi! I couldn't be more excited," says Anne-Sophie Mutter, looking ahead to her trio concert at ProArte. Sitting beside her are Yefim Bronfman on piano and Pablo Ferrández on cello; both are long-time chamber music partners and friends of the top violinist, yet they couldn't be more different. But what undoubtedly unites them all is their unconditional devotion to music. Age, education, background, or gender are irrelevant when three exceptional musicians meet as equals. Tchaikovsky's magnificent homage to his late friend and mentor Nikolai Rubinstein, presented as a piano trio, is a showcase for the star trio.

Anne-Sophie Mutter / Pablo Ferrández / Yefim Bronfman

Gioachino Rossini is famous above all for his operas—from "The Barber of Seville" to "William Tell" to "Cenerentola." However, the Italian composer declared his extremely successful operatic career over when he was barely 40 years old. Numerous short works followed, and, as a kind of crowning achievement, the "Petite messe solennelle." Thomas Hengelbrock and the Balthasar Neumann Ensembles, equally outstanding in opera and sacred music, are the perfect cast for this setting of the mass, which the composer, with typical self-irony, describes as "small."

Rossini: Little Solemn Mass / Thomas Hengelbrock

The Harbour Front Literature Festival is looking forward to an evening between music and literature, passion and rupture, genius and abyss. »Ein Glück ohne Ruh – Alma & Gustav Mahler« is a multi-faceted homage to one of the most famous and contradictory artistic marriages in music history – told from letters, diaries and memories, interspersed with songs by the two protagonists. The actors Corinna Harfouch and Peter Lohmeyer read from the letters of Alma and Gustav Mahler, from Alma’s autobiography »Mein Leben«, her »Memories of Gustav Mahler« and from texts by contemporaries such as Alban Berg, Johannes Brahms, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Schönberg, Jean Sibelius and others. In musical alternation, works by Gustav Mahler and Alma Mahler will be performed by Roman Trekel and Hideyo Harada – a haunting combination of language, sound and inner turmoil. An evening about a love that was exhausted by its own intensity – and about two personalities who left their artistic mark in very different ways.

A happiness without rest – Alma & Gustav Mahler

There's something magical about the change that comes with the seasons. The idea of ​​a leaf growing from a bare branch in spring seems unimaginable, at least during the winter months. And yet: as soon as the first warm rays of sunshine make their way through, everything sprouts and blooms everywhere. Accompanied by Israeli mandolinist Jacob Reuven, students from grades 1 to 4 stroll through the seasons in this concert. Surrounded by music spanning more than 250 years, spring, summer, autumn, and winter seem both distant and close at hand. Sometimes the messenger of spring sits chirping on our shoulder, sometimes we dance the tango with him through the colorful sea of ​​leaves.

Eight Seasons

Classical Music Without Borders – that is the name of the OPUS KLASSIK Prize awarded to Eldbjørg Hemsing in 2024. This could also be the title of her artistic career to date: In the Norwegian violinist's discography, Shostakovich and Grieg stand alongside Max Richter and Tan Dun. Her award-winning concept album "Arctic" also pursues a socio-political aspiration by drawing attention to the fragile beauty of her homeland, threatened by climate change. "Music will not solve the big problems. But it has an enormous power that is often lost in the confusing discussions: the power of emotion." With this in mind, Eldbjørg Hemsing approaches the incredible melodic richness of Johann Sebastian Bach in her latest project, "Colors of Bach." In arrangements that are as simple as they are dazzling, the works of the Baroque master sound both reduced to their essence and new.

Eldbjørg Hemsing

Founded in 1981 by Tõnu Kaljuste, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) is now one of the most renowned chamber choirs in Europe. Even though the Estonian conductor stepped down from his leadership of the choir after 20 successful years, he still enjoys returning to the ensemble. Kaljuste and the EPCC are considered absolute authorities, particularly for the works of their famous compatriot Arvo Pärt, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year – in 2014, they even won a Grammy for their recording of Pärt's "Adam's Lament." They now return to the Elbphilharmonie with this very work, accompanied by the Hamburg Ensemble Resonanz.

Ensemble Resonanz / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Tõnu Kaljuste

Romantic depths, visions and novel, »unheard-of« sounds in perfect form: Schubert can be considered one of the most innovative composers in music history. This is particularly evident in the selection of works performed in this concert, all of which date from Schubert’s mature period.

»Schubertiade«

Starting this season, the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra's program will feature a new, colorful highlight: Blue Week. This festival replaces the former Academy Concerts and combines unique works and programs while showcasing the special qualities of the orchestra's musicians. In this first edition, they will make metamorphoses of all kinds audible – in this concert, humans are transformed into animals, oboe notes into alienated soundscapes, and fantasies into sonic reality.

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra

Sack tugger, sunbed stand-up and soul sensation, harbour painter and poetry reciter, factory squatter, occasional Santa and Germany’s answer to George Clooney – Stefan Gwildis has been everything. This charming entertainer, this walking Gesamtkunstwerk of cosy soulfulness, original Hamburger Schmodder and a large dash of amused unpredictability. And what does »been« mean anyway: he still is all that, somehow at least, and every now and then. Just the way he likes it.

Stefan Gwildis

When Martin Fröst is invited as Artist in Residence with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in the 2025/2026 season, a signature piece by this extravagant clarinetist is a must: In 1998, the Swede Anders Hillborg wrote his "Peacock Tales" literally specifically for his fellow countryman. In this simultaneously humorous and highly virtuosic clarinet concerto, Fröst's exceptional talent is called upon in several ways. The soloist must not only demonstrate adeptness in all sorts of musical styles from past to present, but also act as a dancer and mime with a mask.

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Martin Fröst / Alan Gilbert

Fred Hersch has held a special position among the great jazz pianists of our time for years. Not only is he a "living legend" himself (The New Yorker), but he has also had a decisive influence on an entire generation of pianists as a teacher, from Brad Mehldau to Sullivan Fortner to Jason Moran. Hersch's distinctive touch and impressionistic tone have often been compared to Bill Evans. At the same time, he enjoys incorporating elements from classical music. After several acclaimed performances in recent years, he is now presenting his first solo program at the Elbphilharmonie.

Fred Hersch

The Harbour Front Literature Festival is looking forward to a special evening with Eckart von Hirschhausen. The patron and founder of the »Gesunde Erde-Gesunde Menschen« foundation will be opening his »practice« for music, humanity and the courage to change at the Elbphilharmonie. The doctor, science journalist and bestselling author combines humour with attitude, science with joie de vivre – and asks: How can we live well – with ourselves, with each other and on this planet? What does a coral reef sound like? And what makes us sound?

Eckart von Hirschhausen

She is one of the greats in her field: When Janine Jansen takes up violin and bow, she captivates audiences. One of her favorite violin concertos is Benjamin Britten's – and one of her favorite partners, of course, is the London Symphony Orchestra. This was already clear 15 years ago, when the Dutch violinist recorded the visionary concerto with England's first orchestra.

London Symphony Orchestra / Janine Jansen / Sir Antonio Pappano

The new programme »Opium – Light and Shadow of the Twenties« by the Berlin-based dream duo Eckart Runge and Jaques Ammon reflects the creative, decadent and frivolous 1920s - a brief era of awakening, turmoil, sensuality, seduction and ecstasy, but also a time with a premonition of impending catastrophe. »Opium« features music by Korngold, Mahler, Debussy, Bloch, Hindemith, Gershwin and others. The two artists have also arranged film music by Tom Tykwer and Johnny Klimek for their own ensemble and recorded it for several seasons of the internationally successful TV series »Babylon Berlin«.

Eckart Runge & Jacques Ammon

Tadadadaaaa. If you think you already know Beethoven's Fifth inside and out, this concert by the London Symphony Orchestra is highly recommended: Sir Antonio Pappano places the classical masterpiece in a completely new context and opens up exciting perspectives. Shostakovich's Ninth Symphony was intended to be a triumphant work of Beethovenian stature – and became an ironic commentary on the megalomania of the criminal Stalin regime, complete with circus fanfares and hidden musical quotations. Shostakovich thus put his own fate to the test once again. The fate of a friend who voluntarily took his own life inspired Prokofiev to score his Second Piano Concerto, which is now one of the most famous works of modern music. In Seong-Jin Cho, the virtuoso solo part finds a subtle interpreter.

London Symphony Orchestra / Seong-Jin Cho / Sir Antonio Pappano

With a discography of over 50 records, George Dalaras has shaped modern Greek music since the 1960s. Now, with a 10-piece band, he pays tribute to rembetiko, the "blues" of Greece, in which the melancholy and joys of the Greek folk soul are reflected like nowhere else.

George Dalaras

Music and meditation have long gone hand in hand – in everything from yoga studios to mindfulness apps. The pianist and neuropsychologist Nicolas Namoradze goes one step further by introducing meditation techniques to the concert hall. Arvo Pärt’s deeply introspective music provides the ideal backdrop, creating an entirely new listening experience with guided meditation and flexible seating – whether on chairs, beanbags, or (your own) yoga mat.

Deep Listening

Iveta Apkalna, titular organist of the Elbphilharmonie, opens the organ season with works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Arvo Pärt, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year. In their faith and deep spirituality, the composers, both great organ masters, are kindred spirits.

Iveta Apkalna, organ

To mark the 50th anniversary of Mascha Kaléko’s death, the Harbour Front Literature Festival is commemorating one of the most important poets of the 20th century with a literary and musical evening – about exile and memory, about the magic of language, longing and self-assertion. The programme kicks off with the exclusive book premiere by Volker Weidermann: »Wenn ich eine Wolke wäre« is a touching approach to Kaléko’s life and language. This will be followed by the programme »Nirgendland – Ein Abend für Mascha Kaléko«, performed by the Etta Scollo Trio and Corinna Harfouch – an interplay of music, poetry and voice that is as intimate as it is universal.

An Evening for Mascha Kaléko

"We drummers simply have this spirit of discovery," says young drummer Vivi Vassileva about herself and her drumming community. "We love discovering and combining new instruments and new sounds." What she means by this is evident in the piece "Frozen in Time" by Avner Dorman, which the Israeli composer once wrote for Vassileva's teacher, Martin Grubinger. In addition to countless drums, cymbals, and mallet instruments such as the wooden marimba, the metal vibraphone, and the glockenspiel, other instruments are used, including the African djembe, the Arabian darbuka, and several cencerros—a type of "tuned cowbell"—which can even be played as a melody instrument.

Young German Philharmonic / Vivi Vassileva / Stanislav Kochanovsky

The Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) is also celebrating its 125th anniversary with a concert in the Elbphilharmonie! What could be more fitting than soulful jazz songs sung by a true Hamburg native with Ghanaian roots: the Beatrice Asare Quintet presents a varied programme of original compositions and newly interpreted jazz standards.

Elbphilharmonie

Dec 5, 2025

Johan Dalene, Violin

5 - 8 Dec, 2025

Kindergarten Concert »Elephant from the Egg«

Sep 6, 2025 - May 10, 2026

Workshop: Klassiko Orchestra Instruments

Dec 6, 2025

Sabine Meyer / Alloy Quintet

4 - 7 Dec, 2025

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras

4 - 7 Dec, 2025

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras

Dec 4, 2025

Henri Texier Septet

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