Stockhausen courses 2025: music magic in Kürten from July 26th!

Stockhausen courses 2025: music magic in Kürten from July 26th!

Exciting days lie ahead in Kürten, the home community of the legendary composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. The 20th edition of the Stockhausen courses and concerts will take place from July 26th to August 3rd, 2025, and preparations are in full swing. Mayor Willi Heider will open the event on July 26th at 5 p.m. on Karlheinz-Stockhausen-Platz.

The Stockhausen courses are a highlight for music lovers from all over the world. This year, almost 100 participants from countries such as China, Ecuador, Australia, Germany and the surrounding area have registered. A varied program awaits you with daily free public concerts in the auditorium of the comprehensive school, which begin at 8 p.m. An hour beforehand there are introductions to the respective concerts, which get the audience in the mood for Stockhausen's music. [ksta] reports that the courses take place in the school center and in the community center and offer a varied program of lectures, seminars and exercises.

A wide program for those interested in music

The motto of this year's courses, "LEARNING WANTS FUTURE", not only represents curiosity about Stockhausen's music, but also the current challenges in music education. Participation is open to composers, performers, musicologists and sound directors who would like to devote themselves to new impulses through discussions and concert visits. The study room also offers a platform where CDs, scores and DVDs are available.

The courses themselves offer an intensive program that starts at 9 a.m. Participants can choose from up to five parallel seminars. Top-class lecturers, including Suzanne Stephens and Kathinka Pasveer, Stockhausen's long-time companions, pass on their knowledge to the next generations. Guest lecturers from the music sector, including Cathy Milliken and Hubert Mayer, are also invited to contribute their expertise to special seminars. [karlheinzstockhausen.org] offers detailed information about the events offered and how to register.

Experience creative sound worlds

The program includes a total of nine concerts in which both instrumental and electronic works by Stockhausen will be performed. The world premiere of “KATHINKA’S GESANG as LUCIFER’S REQUIEM” on July 28th will be particularly exciting. The concerts take place in a very special atmosphere, and a community bus association provides transport for the participants after the performances. [stockhausen-verlag] has clearly listed all the concert dates so that no one misses a highlight.

This means that the participants are not just passive listeners, but also active in communicating and understanding Stockhausen's innovative music. Finally, participation in dress rehearsals is also one of the experiences that are part of the courses. For anyone interested in sound technology and the implementation of Stockhausen's works, sound projection and other special courses offer a great opportunity to gain deeper insights.

The Stockhausen Foundation is supported by many partners in organizing this week and relies on a broad network of sponsors, including the Rhineland Regional Association.

As a reminder: Stockhausen Week has not only a local but also an international reputation. The next concerts could take place in the renovated Sülztalhalle in 2027, while Karlheinz Stockhausen's 100th birthday will be celebrated in 2028. The excitement in Kürten is palpable, and we can only hope that many music enthusiasts will take the opportunity to become part of this unique event.