Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Bochumer Bachtage

Name:

Bochumer Bachtage

Location:

Bochum, North Westphalia, Germany

Venues:

The concerts are primarily hosted in historically significant and acoustically beautiful spaces around Bochum:
Christuskirche Bochum
Dorfkirche Bochum-Stiepel
Other venues:
Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr

Years:

Since 2001 (Annual Festival)

Months:

October-November

Artistic Director:

Stadtkantor Bernhard Buttmann (2001-2002)
KMD Arno Hartmann (2003-Present), who also leads the Stadtkantorei Bochum
Cultural Office: Niels Nabring

Ensembles:

The festival enjoys a close, ongoing partnership with the Bochumer Symphoniker and features performances from regional choruses and international guest artists.
Core Ensembles:
Stadtkantorei Bochum
Bochum Barock
Bochumer Symphonike
Cölner Barockorchester
Guest Ensembles:
Nederlands Kamerkoor (Director: Peter Dijkstra)
B'Rock Orchestra
Jugendkonzertchor of the Chorakademie
Neues Bach-Collegium NRW

Website:

Bochumer Bachtage [1] | Bochumer Bachtage [2]
Stadtkantorei Bochum

History & Mission:

The Bochumer Bachtage is a premier classical music festival held annually in Bochum, Germany. Dedicated to J.S. Bach, the festival blends historical musical traditions with modern cultural programming, offering a diverse array of concerts, organ recitals, and educational events.
History
The festival was established in the early 2000s, building upon Bochum's rich choral and symphonic heritage. Leadership: It is curated and directed by Kirchenmusikdirektor Arno Hartmann.
Mission
Deepening Musical Appreciation: The core mission of the Bachtage is to promote the interpretation and performance of J.S. Bach's vast repertoire, ranging from his intricate organ works and cantatas to major choral oratorios.
Connecting Eras: The festival actively bridges historical and contemporary music by pairing J.S. Bach's pieces with works by other great composers (such as Felix Mendelssohn, W.A. Mozart, and Satie) as well as contemporary and local artists.
Cultural Enrichment: By hosting these annual events, the festival brings world-class sacred and secular classical music to the Ruhr region, anchoring J.S. Bach's artistic legacy within the modern, industrial-turned-cultural landscape of Bochum.

Recent Festivals:

1^st Festival: May 2, 2001
2^nd Festival: Oct 25-Nov 3, 2002
3^rd Festival: Oct 31-Novr 16, 2003
4^th Festival: Nov 7-17, 2004
5^th Festival: Oct 6-29, 2005
6^th Festival: Oct 6-Nov 15, 2006 "Bach und die Romantik "
7^th Festival: Nov 4-18, 2007
8^th Festival: Nov 21-Dec 21, 2008 "Bach und Frankreich"
9^th Festival: Oct 16-Dec 20, 2009 "Bach und Mendelssohn"
10^th Festival: Oct-Nov, 2010

11^th Festival: Oct 25-Dec 31, 2011
12^th Festival: Nov 30-Dec 31 2012
13^th Festival: Nov 9-Dec 31, 2013
14^th Festival: Nov 7-Dec 31, 2014
15^th Festival: Nov 1-Dec 31, 2015
16^th Festival: Nov 19-Dec 31, 2016
17^th Festival: Nov 10-Dec 17, 2017
18^th Festival: Nov 14-Dec 31, 2018 "Bach und Mendelssohn"
19^th Festival: Oct 31-Nov 13, 2019
20^th Festival: Oct 31-Dec 31, 2020

21^st Festival: Oct 12-Dec 10, 2021
22^nd Festival: Oct 22-Nov 6, 2022
23^rd Festival: Oct 31-Dec 31, 2023
24^th Festival: Oct 31-Dec 31, 2024
25^th Festival: Oct 24-31, 2025

Logo: