Classical Festivals & Highlights

  • Festivals Klassik

    “Odessa Classics – International Music Festival”
    as a guest at Schloss Elmau
    curated by pianist & festival director Alexey Botvinov
    Fri, 06/06 – Sun, 15/06/2025

    Arrival on 06/06/2025

    The city of Odessa on the Black Sea hosted the international music festival “Odessa Classics’”from 2015 to 2021. Since the war, the festival has been taking place at various locations in Europe under the direction of the most renowned Ukrainian pianist Alexey Botvinov – now also with a guest performance at Schloss Elmau. A number of important musicians and intellectuals have been invited, including Grigory Sokolov, Mischa Maisky, the young Ukrainian pianist Dinara Klinton, the writer Mikhail Shishkin, as well as Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko (requested) in conversation with Paul Ronzheimer.

    Program:
    Fri, 6 June day of arrival
    Sat, 7 June 9 pm Opening concert with Grigory Sokolov
    Sun, 8 June & Tue – Sat one event each evening (no event on Monday)
    Sat, 14 June closing event in the evening
    Sun, 15 June day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Grigory Sokolov
    Whitsun
    Sat, 07 – Mon 09/06/2025

    Arrival on 07/06/2025

    Concert on Saturday, 7 June 9 pm“

    Among all the pianists who have existed and still exist, Grigory Sokolov is in a category of his own.” (Jan Brachmann, FAZ)
    The unique character of music played live is a crucial aspect of understanding the expressive beauty and compelling honesty of Grigory Sokolov's art. His poetic interpretations, which come alive with mystical intensity in the concert hall, are based on an in-depth knowledge of the repertoire. His programmes span the entire history of music: from transcriptions of sacred polyphony of the Middle Ages and works by Couperin, Rameau and Bach, to the Classical and Romantic repertoire and key compositions of the 20th century. Now Grigory Sokolov returns to Schloss Elmau – with what is sure to be a compelling and impressive concert evening.

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Week of the Romantic Era
    Sun, 22 – Fri, 27/06/2025

    Arrival on 22/06/2025

    Each year, the Romanticism Week sheds light on a new aspect of musical Romanticism and its historical context.

    Program:
    Sun, 22 June opening concert
    Mon, 23 - Do, 26 June one concert per evening & 1-2 matinee events
    Thu, 26 June in the evening closing concert
    Fri, 27 June day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Building Bridges – Sir András Schiff presents young pianists
    Thu, 03/07 – Sun, 06/07/2025

    Arrival on 03/07/2025

    The famous pianist Sir András Schiff presents young pianists at the beginning of a great career. Even after graduating from a renowned music academy, it is not easy for young musicians to position themselves successfully on the music market. Regardless of talent and technical excellence, there is usually a lack of performance practice and important networks. This is where Sir András Schiff's mentoring programme Building Bridges comes in, with which he has been providing targeted and sustainable support for young pianists since 2014.

    Program:
    Thu, 3 July opening concert (piano recital with Sir András Schiff)
    Fri, 4 & Sat 5 July Concerts with young pianists
    Sun, 6 July day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Masterclass Gautier Capuçon
    Public masterclasses & concerts with Gautier Capuçon and laureats of the Fondation Gautier Capuçon
    Sat, 23/08 – Wed, 27/08/2025

    Arrival on 22/08/2025

    For four days, cello star Gautier Capuçon will hold public masterclasses and concerts in Schloss Elmau, to which all guests are welcome to attend. He works with the aspiring professional string players and pianists on great chamber music works. For the opening concert, Gautier Capuçon himself will play a concert, considered the benchmark by his numerous students as well as his international audience. The other concerts will be performed by the students with the participation of Capuçon.

    Program
    Sat, 23 August 9 pm opening concert (recital by Gautier Capuçon)
    Sun, 24 August – Tue, 26 August 11 am masterclasses | 9 pm concerts of the laureats & Gautier Capuçon
    Wed, 27 August day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Piano Summit with Víkingur Ólafsson
    Sun, 31/08 – Fri, 05/09/2025

    Arrival on 31/08/2025

    Invited for dinner with € 85 halfboard credit per adult

    This piano summit brings outstanding pianists to Schloss Elmau: Icelandic piano star Víkingur Ólafsson returns to Elmau with his new solo programme of Beethoven sonatas, as do the internationally acclaimed brother duo Lucas & Arthur Jussen with highlights from the literature for two pianos and four hands. The festival is rounded off by Dmitry Shishkin (silver medal winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition), who is highly praised by fellow pianists and critics alike, and Anna Vinnitskaya (1st prize at the Concours Reine Elisabeth), who regularly performs with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic.

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  • Festivals Klassik

    4th Lied Festival Christian Gerhaher & Gerold Huber
    Mon, 06 – Sat, 11/10/2025

    Arrival on 05/10/2025

    Invited for dinner with € 85 halfboard credit per adult

    opening concert: Monday, 06/10/2025

    Christian Gerhaher invites to his fourth Liedwoche at Schloss Elmau. Together with his long-time piano partner Gerold Huber and numerous guests, he will shed light on the fascinating cosmos of song in five recitals as well as morning talks, lectures and masterclasses.

    5 recitals as well as masterclasses, lectures & talks
    with Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Gerold Huber (piano), Tabea Zimmermann (viola) and other guests

    Program:
    Sun, 5 October day of arrival
    Mon, 6 October 8.30 pm Opening concert
    Tue, 7 – Fri 10 October two events daily
    Fri, 10 October closing concert in the evening
    Sat, 1 October day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    16th Verbier Festival@Schloss Elmau
    Sat, 22 – Sun, 30/11/2025
    Complimentary night

    Arrival on 23/11/2025

    when booking 7 nights

    Martin T:son Engstroem, founder and director of the famous Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, presents outstanding young artists at the beginning of a great career alongside established musical personalities. The programme, which includes 15 solo, chamber music and orchestral concerts with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra conducted by Gábor Takács-Nagy, is curated by his wife Blythe Teh Engstroem, who serves as co-artistic director of the festival.

    with Lucas Debargue, Kevin Chen & Bruce Liu (piano), James Ehnes, Clara-Jumi Kang & Augustin Dumay (violin), Sào Soulez Larivière (viola), Steven Isserlis (cello) et al.

    Program:
    Sat, 22 November 5:30 pm opening concert
    Sun, 23 - Sat, 29 November 11:00 am & 5:30 pm two concerts daily
    Sat, 29 November 5:30 pm closing concert
    Sun, 30 November day of departure

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  • Festivals Klassik

    16th Verbier Festival@Schloss Elmau
    Sat, 22 – Sun, 30/11/2025

    Arrival on 23/11/2025

    Invited for dinner with € 85 halfboard credit per adult

    Martin T:son Engstroem, founder and director of the famous Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, presents outstanding young artists at the beginning of a great career alongside established musical personalities. The programme, which includes 15 solo, chamber music and orchestral concerts with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra conducted by Gábor Takács-Nagy, is curated by his wife Blythe Teh Engstroem, who serves as co-artistic director of the festival.

    with Lucas Debargue, Kevin Chen & Bruce Liu (piano), James Ehnes, Clara-Jumi Kang & Augustin Dumay (violin), Sào Soulez Larivière (viola), Steven Isserlis (cello) et al.

    Program:
    Sat, 22 November 5:30 pm opening concert
    Sun, 23 - Sat, 29 November 11:00 am & 5:30 pm two concerts daily
    Sat, 29 November 5:30 pm closing concert
    Sun, 30 November day of departure

    PROGRAM DETAILS

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  • Festivals Klassik

    Chamber Music Week
    Sun, 11 – Sun, 18/01/2026
    Complimentary Night

    Arrival on 11/01/2026

    when booking 7 nights and more

    The Elmau Chamber Music Week has been at the heart of the cultural programme at Schloss Elmau since the 1950s. The Amadeus Quartet and the composer Benjamin Britten, whose 50th anniversary of death will be celebrated in 2026, have had a special influence on this festival week and brought it a great artistic flourish.He, the composer and performer Britten and his special relationship with Schloss Elmau, forms the central theme of the Chamber Music Week 2026, which will also feature great chamber music works by Mozart, Schubert and Shostakovich.

    with Ian Bostridge, Daniel Lozakovich, David Fray, Christian Tetzlaff et al.

    Program:
    Sun, 11 January 5:00 pm opening concert
    Mon, 12 - Sat, 17 January 11:00 am & 5:00 pm two concerts daily
    Sat, 17 January 5:00 pm closing concert
    Sun, 18 January day of departure

    PROGRAM DETAILS

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