Concerts

Musical roots in the folk songs and dances of Hungary and Turkey: Jean-Guihen Queyras performs and presents a recital entitled ‘Roots’, featuring solo works inspired by his homeland. Two hundred years after Bach’s Cello Suites, Zoltán Kodály brings Hungarian rhythms to life. Together with Béla Bartók, he travelled through Eastern Europe to transpose the melodies he discovered into classical forms. Ahmed Adnan Saygun, a pioneer of modern composition in Turkey, combines Bach’s legacy with the Turkish makam system in his 1955 Partita. At the same time, one senses the influence of his student years amidst the Parisian avant-garde. Queyras also performs a solo piece by Fazıl Say, which he premiered two years ago. Say, too, celebrates the timelessness of folklore and gives his movements titles such as ‘Fearlessness’, ‘Infinite Memories’ and ‘Celebration of Peace’.

A unique piano recital brimming with emotion and musical depth. Sebastian Lingnau not only performs the pieces with great feeling, but also guides the audience through the concert with engaging commentary. The programme features works by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann and Chopin, amongst others.

Sebastian Lingnau studied under Prof. Yvonne Lang and Prof. Benjamin Moser at the Lucerne School of Music. International masterclasses with Prof. Sheila Arnold, Prof. Markus Bellheim, Prof. Benjamin Moser and Andreas Haefliger complemented his training. As a pianist, Sebastian Lingnau has performed in competitions and concerts in Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

In collaboration with the Beethoven-Haus Bonn.

Where can I find a home? People have been singing about this since time immemorial. Jonas Müller tells of the hope of finding a place to call home somewhere in the world through a wonderfully arranged medley of art songs. The 27-year-old baritone was awarded the German Business Music Prize 2025. The jury was particularly impressed by his ‘programmatic arc, characterised by authenticity and sincerity’ – something he also demonstrates at this recital.

In cooperation with the German National Academic Foundation, the Beethoven-Haus Bonn is awarding a five-week residency and working scholarship in composition for the fourteenth time in 2026. The scholarship enables promising young composers to work at the Beethoven-Haus residency whilst engaging in dialogue with their mentor. The works completed by the scholarship holders during their stay will be presented to the public and premiered at a moderated final concert. Gabriele Carlo Fischetti and Gustav Eldo Hofmann have been selected for this year’s residency.

In cooperation with the German National Academic Foundation

Bowmore Quartet:
Pieter Jansen, violin
Veronique De Raedemaeker, violin
Tony Nys, viola and
Francis Mourey, cello

Martina Rommel, solo piano
Po-Hsu Chen, violin
Rebecca Firkins, cello
Tianfeiyang Yun, piano

Matteo Cimatti will lead an evening of sonatas, performing on the violin and acting as presenter. The 26-year-old violinist from Italy, part of the Beethovenfest Talents 2026 programme, has chosen a programme of unconventional music. Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas Op. 12, of which Cimatti will play the third, were described by a contemporary critic as 'unruly' – dominated by powerful accents rather than pleasing melodies. Ravel drew inspiration from the jazz and blues of the 1920s for his spirited sonata. Prokofiev, too, loved robust themes and a rapid interplay between the instruments.

The thirty-year-old artist Anna Handler explores the life of the thirty-year-old Beethoven. Around 1801, he composed important piano pieces and famous sonatas such as the 'Moonlight' Sonata and the 'Storm' Sonata, through which he broke away from traditional conventions. Friendships also played a significant role in Beethoven’s life during this period, which is why other friends will join him on stage to perform during the concert.

The thirty-year-old artist Anna Handler explores the life of the thirty-year-old Beethoven. Around 1801, he composed important piano pieces and famous sonatas such as the 'Moonlight' Sonata and the 'Storm' Sonata, through which he broke away from traditional conventions. Friendships also played a significant role in Beethoven’s life during this period, which is why other friends will join him on stage to perform during the concert.

Having appeared in the 'Young Stars' series just a season or two ago, the Leonkoro Quartet has established itself as one of the leading and most sought-after string quartets of the younger generation. The programme features works by Beethoven and Schubert, as well as the world premiere of a string quartet by Sauli Zinovjev. The composition by the young Finnish composer, whose works are performed by the world's leading orchestras, is a commission from, amongst others, the Beethoven-Haus.

With the kind support of the Hermann J. Abs Foundation.

For many years, Evgeni Koroliov has impressed audiences with his intellectual insight into the works, to which he devotes his pianistic and interpretative skills. Between 2020 and 2022, he performed a highly acclaimed cycle of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in the Chamber Music Hall. Here, he thoughtfully combines the Diabelli Variations – the major work for solo piano that was still missing – with excerpts from Bach’s masterpieces, which are particularly sophisticated in their counterpoint.

Since the Beethoven anniversary year in 2020, the Hermann J. Abs Prize for the best interpretation of a work by Ludwig van Beethoven has been awarded as part of the “Jugend musiziert” competition. The prize is awarded by the respective national jury. The prize includes a concert performance of the competition programme in the Chamber Music Hall.

The concert will be recorded by WDR.

With the kind support of the Hermann J. Abs Foundation

Deutschlandfunk will record the concert and broadcast it at a later date.

Concert patrons: Marly and Ulrich Schlottmann

Brass instruments – they are signals, they are celebration, they are revolution. When our solo brass players set out to perform chamber music, the format reaches its limits – in the best possible sense. Here, sonic splendour and a rich variety of timbres come together in the most confined of spaces, and each time one is amazed anew at how the trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba begin to shine when experienced as a small ensemble. It is precisely this radiance that led brass ensembles early on to explore music beyond their original repertoire: from keyboard works and vocal music to orchestral pieces. There is hardly anything that does not take on a new, surprising perspective in this golden glow. An energetic start to our chamber concert season – and an evening that demonstrates just how big a small ensemble can sound.

Works by Viktor Ewald, Jan Koetsier, Johann Sebastian Bach, John Cheetham and others.

7.10 pm
Pre-concert talk with Tilmann Böttcher

The great Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski is renowned for his profound interpretations and his highly acclaimed discography, which spans several decades. In recent years, he has focused increasingly on the music of Johannes Brahms, which he contrasts in concert with the legacy of his great role model, Beethoven.

With the kind support of the Hermann J. Abs Foundation

Every year, around 6 November – the date of his birth in 1814 – the Bonn Saxophone Ensemble dedicates a ‘monographic’ concert to Adolphe Sax and his musical invention. This time, the concert programme features musical pieces from many countries around the globe.

Adolphe Sax was a clarinettist, entrepreneur and, above all, an inventor: having already developed the bass clarinet in its present form, some 30 years later he unveiled a completely new instrument in Paris, one that has become an indispensable part of modern music – the saxophone, named after him.

As part of a ‘talk-concert’, the musicians will explain the history and technique of the instrument. They will perform on the various types of saxophone, from the sopranino to the bass.

Please note that there is no box office and tickets can only be purchased in advance via the VHS Bonn website.

The young saxophonist Soran Lind, who has Norwegian and Iranian roots, demonstrates that the saxophone has a great deal to offer in classical music too.

Deutschlandfunk will record the concert and broadcast it at a later date.

Concert patrons: Marly and Ulrich Schlottmann

Mirko Roschkowski is not only a celebrated Lohengrin and Hoffmann on the opera stage, but also a lieder singer deeply influenced by poetry. The tenor, who is very popular with opera audiences in Bonn, has dedicated his programme to the poems of Heinrich Heine, whose poetry has been a source of inspiration for many composers.

Heine songs by Clara and Robert Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, Johann Vesque von Püttlingen and Hans Pfitzner

Through a masterfully balanced interplay of comedy, romantic landscape and subtle social satire, the film stands as a milestone in film history. The spectacular outdoor scenes, such as the ludicrous train journey through the wilderness, are still regarded today as an outstanding example of cinematic engineering. With his trademark moments of surprise and subtle slapstick humour, Buster Keaton has the audience laughing and marvelling!

The two bass trombonists, who are scholarship holders of the Studienstiftung, have a mission: to free their instrument from its reputation as a sluggish orchestral instrument and to present it in a new light as a solo instrument. With their varied programme, which ranges from original compositions to exciting arrangements, the pair take the audience on a journey of discovery through the ages.

In collaboration with the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes

The programme explores contrasts that come together in dialogue, thereby leading to greater insight and peace. The ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata still feels like a concert piece, whilst at the same time questioning its own impact. The Cello Sonata in A major, by contrast, focuses on closeness, love and personal happiness. These feelings continue in the trios: the musical dialogue is conducted by three – at times tender and calm, at times bold and forward-pressing, as a search for inner peace.

The programme explores contrasts that come together in dialogue, thereby leading to greater insight and peace. The ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata still feels like a concert piece, whilst at the same time questioning its own impact. The Cello Sonata in A major, by contrast, focuses on closeness, love and personal happiness. These feelings continue in the trios: the musical dialogue is conducted by three – at times tender and calm, at times bold and forward-pressing, as a search for inner peace.

A Christmas experience for the whole family:
To mark Beethoven's baptism day on 17 December, violinist and President of the Beethoven-Haus Daniel Hope will guide the audience through a magical programme filled with music and Christmas-themed texts. The programme will feature cheerful and festive pieces as well as enchanting and contemplative ones – the perfect way to get into the spirit of the approaching Christmas season! Featuring accordion star Martynas Levickis, soprano Tanja Christine Kuhn and the Belgrade Chamber Orchestra under its music director Daniel Geiss.

With kind support:
Sparkasse KölnBonn
Deutsche Telekom

A Christmas treat for the whole family: to mark the anniversary of Beethoven’s baptism, violinist and President of the Beethoven-Haus Daniel Hope will guide us through a magical programme. The concert will feature cheerful and festive pieces as well as enchanting and contemplative works – a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the approaching Christmas season!

The South African soprano Golda Schultz is regarded internationally as one of the most interesting and exciting voices of her generation. She is equally at home in major operatic roles and as a soloist with the world's leading orchestras. She is praised for her 'warm tone and sensitive phrasing' and has also made a name for herself through her exceptional recitals.

The Beethoven27 project by Jan Caeyers and Kit Armstrong, featuring a series of guided performances of 27 of Beethoven's key works in 27 European cities, concludes with a chamber music programme centred on the 'immortal Beloved'.

Featuring piano works by Ludwig van Beethoven

Alexander Lifland and Roman Salyutov have been devoting themselves intensively for several years to the great Erich Wolfgang Korngold, whose work was long and unjustly neglected. Korngold, a child prodigy the likes of which the world had perhaps not seen since Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! He wrote his first operas as a teenager, was forced to flee from the Nazis, and when he returned to Europe, he was, firstly, typecast as a film music composer and, secondly, his once progressive style had become outdated. It is only in recent years that we have been rediscovering his infinitely colourful and sensual music. Alongside this, Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet will be performed – one of the most significant works by Bonn’s 'other' composer. Two masterpieces of chamber music, almost symphonic in scope, which demonstrate just how rich in contrast and intense the interplay between piano and string instruments can be.

7.10 pm
Pre-concert talk with Tilmann Böttcher

Deutschlandfunk will record the concert and broadcast it at a later date.

Concert patrons: Marly and Ulrich Schlottmann

The pianist Magdalene Ho first came to international attention in 2023 when she won the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition. Since then, she has captivated audiences on international stages with her profound and expressive playing. Her programmes are heavily influenced by literature, as is the case in Bonn, where she drew inspiration from E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr'.

The ensemble was founded in 2015 as a labour of love by the musicians involved. By combining the experience of internationally touring soloists and orchestral musicians, they create a distinctive sound and a wonderful harmony of expression.

Presented by the Curtis Institute of Music

Honoured with the OPUS KLASSIK 2025 award for 'Instrumentalist of the Year' Antje Weithaas is one of the most distinguished artists of our time. She is dedicating her concert to the music of Johannes Brahms and his musical circle – including a work by the Swiss composer Robert Gund, who was active in Vienna at the turn of the 19th century.

The two pianist brothers, Lucas & Arthur Jussen, certainly have a sense of humour. And plenty of talent! For over ten years, they have been delighting audiences as a piano duo with their light-as-a-feather playing, their joy in making music and their engaging manner. The most difficult passages seem effortless under their fingers, their sound so homogeneous that they appear to be a single person. In their recital, the brothers draw on the full breadth of their repertoire and its rich variety: delicate sounds in Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale arrangements and children's pieces by Gabriel Fauré, powerful virtuosity in Brahms and Lutosławski, rhythmically intricate and jazzy sounds in Hanna Kulenty's 'VAN …' and in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. A perfect programme for a perfect evening!

Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Gabriel Fauré, Johannes Brahms, Witold Lutosławski, Hanna Kulentys and George Gershwin.

With the kind support of:
Deutsche Telekom

Deutschlandfunk will record the concert and broadcast it at a later date.

Concert patrons: Marly and Ulrich Schlottmann

The multi-award-winning pianist Anna Pismak, who was trained in St Petersburg, Zurich and Berlin and is supported by Sir András Schiff, performs internationally as a soloist and is an artistic assistant at the Zurich University of the Arts.

In collaboration with Sir András Schiff's Building Bridges programme

Filippo Gorini, winner of the 2018 International Telekom Beethoven Competition and recipient of the Beethoven Ring, is always a welcome guest at the Beethoven-Haus and the Bürger für Beethoven in Bonn. Even at such a young age, this engaging artist performs the outstanding works of the piano repertoire with great mastery – a concert in a class of its own!

With the kind support of the Lions Club Bonn.

Venue: Beethovenhalle, Main Hall

Beethoven Hall, Studio
Further details to follow

In collaboration with Bürgern für Beethoven e.V.