Thuringia Bach Festival
The music of Bach inspires, enlightens illuminates and connects, and that’s why there are festivals all over the world dedicated to the German composer - not to mention a few in Germany, including the Leipzig Bach Festival in June.
Celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach in Thuringia
But what could be more authentic than attending a festival in Bach's native region? With 20.000 visitors, 60 concerts and a world-class calibre, Thuringia Bach Festival ticks all the boxes.
Today Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is considered one of the greatest composers of all time. He defied the conventions in his time, proving himself as a master composer of an outstanding array of 1.128 compositions, praised for their stylistic innovations and technical complexity.
Play Bach!
The title of this year's festival is "Play Bach!" - a call to action for one and all! This will prove to be a playful balancing act, ranging from concerts to dance theatre, from virtual reality productions to vital jazz interpretations and city tours.
Drop into the "Bach Store" in Erfurt, a pop-up shop that has been chronicled in the New York Times, where you'll find star pianist Evan Shinners tinkering away for hours on end, interspersed with performances by guest artists. There is - of course - merchandise in the shop, including t-shirts, stress balls and condoms, which make reference to the fact that Bach fathered 20 children.
Performers at Thuringia Bach Festival
Over the three weeks of the festival you'll have the chance to hear many eminent performers, including:
- Evan Shinners
- The English Consort
- Avi Avital & Omer Klein
- Cantus Thuringia & Capella
- Oliver Latry
- Eisenach Bach Choir
- Dmitry Sinovsky
- Steuart Pincombe
- Luciel Boulanger
- Orchestra of the Meiningen Theatre
- Jena Philharmonic Choir
- Kamea Dance Company
- Thomas Dunford
- Cameron Carpenter
- Ensemble Jupiter
- Tenebrae Choir
- Amarcord
- Elicia Silverstein
Festival locations
The state of Thuringia forms the perfect backdrop to the festival of Bach - visit his birthplace and the towns where some of the world's most enduring baroque masterpieces were written. The cities and towns in Thuringia where the festival takes place are Erfurt, Weimar, Jena, Arnstadt, Dornheim, Eisenach, Meiningen, Muhlhausen, Ohrdruf and Wechmar.
Additionally, there are guided tours, known as "Bachland Tours" in Arnstadt, Weimar, Erfurt and Eisenach.
Get your Thuringia Bach Festival tickets
Thuringia Bach Festival tickets are available on the festival website. There are reduced prices for students. The venues are easily accessible by public transport. Erfurt, the state capital, is connected to cities like Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin and Munich. There are regional trains that stop at smaller places in the state like Weimar, Jena and others.
