Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Heidelberger Bachwoche

Name:

Heidelberger Bachwoche (Heidelberg Bach Week)

Location:

Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Venues:

Heiliggeistkirche Heidelberg (Holy Ghost Church)

Years:

Since 1960 (Annual Festival)

Months:

July

Artistic Directors:

Erich Hübner (Artistic Director: 1960-1985): The founder of the festival, who initiated the event in 1960 to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Bachchor Heidelberg.
Johannes-Matthias Michel (Artistic Director: 1995-1998): During this period, he concurrently served as the Bezirkskantor in Eberbach am Neckar before later taking on positions as Kantor at the Christuskirche and Landeskantor for North Baden.
Christoph-Andreas Schäfer (Artistic Director: since 1998): The Kantor and organist at the Heiliggeistkirche, who regularly acts as the musical director and lead organizer for the Heidelberger Bachwoche programs.
Knut Rössler: Frequently serves as co-conductor and instrumental leader for the Bachwoche’s larger choral-orchestral projects.

Ensembles:

The week-long festival primarily features ensembles based in and around Heidelberg, alongside various acclaimed international and regional guest groups. The recurring local and visiting performing ensembles who participate include:
Local & Resident Ensembles
Studentenkantorei Heidelberg: A core student choir often involved in Bachwoche productions.
Junge Kantorei Heiliggeist: A dynamic youth choir led by the local church music directors.
Bachchor Heidelberg: Though mainly performing with the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg, they are frequently integrated into the Bach-centered celebrations in the city.
Invited & Visiting Ensembles
Depending on the yearly theme, the festival hosts top-tier early music and chamber groups. Past and frequent participants include:
Period Instrument Orchestras: Such as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and Barockorchester L'arpa festante (frequently performs at the Bachwoche).
Chamber Choirs: Ensembles like Camerata Carolina (Heidelberg University’s chamber choir) and other visiting vocal groups from around Germany.
Experimental & Vocal Ensembles: Visiting professional vocal and instrumental groups who perform both traditional sacred music and genre crossovers.

Website:

Studentenkantorei Heidelberg
Kirchenmusik Heidelberg

History & Mission:

The Heidelberger Bachwoche is an annual musical festival held in Heidelberg, Germany, centering around the works of J.S. Bach. Centered at the historic Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), it features oratorios, chamber music, cantatas, and organ recitals, all culminating in the days leading up to J.S. Bach's July 28 death anniversary.
History
The festival is deeply intertwined with the historic Bachchor Heidelberg, which was founded in 1885 by university music director Philipp Wolfrum to promote sacred, classical, and romantic choral literature.
The Bachwoche was formally introduced in 1960 by conductor and church musician Erich Hübner to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the choir.
Throughout the decades, the festival has grown from a choir anniversary celebration into a fixed annual highlight on Heidelberg's cultural calendar, focusing on expansive, multi-disciplinary, and historical themes.
Mission
Preservation & Interpretation: The primary mission of the festival is to cultivate and present the musical heritage of J.S. Bach and his predecessors/contemporaries at the highest artistic level.
Cross-Genre Collaboration: The Bachwoche seeks to contextualize J.S. Bach's work in modern times. This is done by exploring his musical roots, tracing his influence across generations, and hosting unique cross-genre collaborations, such as jazz and Bach crossover programs.
Community and Faith: True to its roots in church music (Kirchenmusik), the Bachwoche continues the tradition of sacred music as a lived community experience. It regularly blends its concert series with liturgical events, morning tributes on Bach's birthday, and musical devotions.

Recent Festivals:

21^st Festival: Jul 21-28, 2005
22^nd Festival: Jul 22-28, 2006
23^rd Festival: Jul 2007
24^th Festival: Jul 19-27, 2008
25^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2009
26^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2010
27^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2011
28^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2012
29^th Festival: Jul 20-27, 2013
30^th Festival: Mar 21-28, 2014

31^st Festival: Jul 21-28, 2015
32^nd Festival: Jul 21-28, 2016
33^rd Festival: Jul 21-28, 2017
34^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2018
35^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2019
36^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2020 (Cancelled)
37^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2021
38^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2022
39^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2023
40^th Festival: Jul 21-28, 2024

41^st Festival: Jul 21-28, 2025
42^nd Festival: Jul 21-28, 2026

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