Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Lüneburger Bachwoche

Name:

Lüneburger Bachwoche (Lüneburg Bach Week)

Location:

Lüneburg, Upper Saxony, Germany

Venues:

The Lüneburger Bachwoche primarily takes place in Lüneburg's historic churches, architectural landmarks, and cultural institutions. The festival frequently utilizes the acoustic spaces of:
Kirche St. Michaelis (St. Michaelis Church: A deeply historic setting where J.S. Bach studied and listened to music as a student in the late 1690's.
Kloster Lüne (Lüne Abbey): An atmospheric, historic convent with a beautiful chapel that often hosts intimate chamber and opening concerts.
Kulturforum Lüneburg: A local performing arts and concert space.
Theater Lüneburg: Utilized for various stage and orchestral performances.
Johanniskirche (St. Johannis Church): Another major historical Lutheran church in Lüneburg, including the Elisabethkapelle.
St. Nicolai Church (Kirche St. Nicolai) is a church and Lutheran parish in Lüneburg. It is one of three main churches in the town, all built in brick Gothic style.
Huldigungssaal des Lüneburger Rathauses (Hall of Homage at Lüneburg Town Hall): This spectacular Baroque-era room was specifically built in preparation to pay homage to the British King George I, who was the Elector of Hanover.
Fürstensaal (Prince's Hall) at Lüneburg Town Hall.
Forum der Musikschule (Music School's Forum).

Years:

Since 1978 (Biennial Festival)

Months:

August-September

Artistic Director:

Claus Hartmann (since 1978): Founder

Ensembles:

The Lüneburger Bachorchester is the permanent resident ensemble and backbone of the festival, having performed at the event since its inception in 1978.
Other notable ensembles that have performed at the Lüneburger Bachwoche include:
Metamorphosen Ensemble: A Hamburg-based group that combines chamber music with contemporary dance.
Hartmann-Trio: A chamber group that frequently performs classical and romantic repertoire (such as works by W.A. Mozart, Clara Schumann, and Johannes Brahms) during the festival.
Kammerchor Hugo-Distler-Ensembles Lüneburg
The festival's roster also heavily features youth ensembles, including outstanding prize-winners from the Jugend musiziert national competition.

Website:

Lüneburger Bachwoche

History & Mission:

The Lüneburger Bachwoche (Bach Week) is a biennial classical music festival held in Lüneburg, Germany, dedicated to the work of J.S. Bach. Founded in 1978 by the violinist and conductor Claus Hartmann, its mission is to honor J.S. Bach's formative years in the city while fostering collaborations between emerging talents and established professionals.
History
Established in 1978 in cooperation with the city of Lüneburg, the festival was intentionally created to highlight Lüneburg as one of J.S. Bach's only major historical working sites in West Germany at the time.
Between 1700 and 1702, a young J.S. Bach attended the prestigious Michaelisschule (St. Michael's School) in Lüneburg. Here, he transitioned from a provincial talent to a well-studied musical cosmopolitan by singing daily liturgical services and studying rigorous polyphony.
The week-long festival was built around the resident Lüneburger Bachorchester (which relocated from Lauenburg in 1978) to showcase both the music J.S. Bach studied and his own compositions.
Mission
Connecting History to Performance: The primary goal of the festival is to physically and culturally tie J.S. Bach's formative, teenage years in Lüneburg to high-quality modern performances.
Cultivating Young Artists: The Bachwoche acts as a bridge for young, prize-winning musicians (often affiliated with groups like the German Music Council or Jugend musiziert) to perform alongside seasoned orchestral professionals.
Celebrating Heritage Sites: The festival aims to bring sacred music and chamber repertoires into the city's historic locations - such as St. Michaelis Church, St. Johannis Church, and the Kloster Lüne.
The Festival Today
Typically held every two years, the festival features a dense program of orchestra concerts, solo recitals, and educational events.

Recent Festivals:

25^th Festival: Sep 2-9, 2006
26^th Festival: Sep 5-9, 2008
27^th Festival: Aug 21-28, 2010
28^th Festival: May 7-12, 2012
29^th Festival: Jul 21-26, 2014
30^th Festival: Sep 4-10, 2016

31^st Festival: Sep 21-27, 2018
32^nd Festival: Sep 25-Oct 1, 2020
33^rd Festival: Sep 16-23, 2022
34^th Festival: Sep 13-19, 2024
35^th Festival: Sep 11-17, 2026

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