The Sound of Christiansfeld

The town of Christiansfeld is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of a transnational heritage listing together with three other Moravian Church settlements. Known for its architecture, the town is equally remarkable for its intangible heritage – including educational and pedagogical traditions, views on gender equality, and a musical practice that anchored everyday life in the late eighteenth century.

Concerto Copenhagen regards itself not only as a performing ensemble but as a cultural institution that brings together people, specialists, and organizations to explore and communicate the stories of early European music. Context is central to all the ensemble’s projects, which seek both to understand the historical conditions behind the musical score and to convey them meaningfully to a contemporary audience.

The ensemble has now taken the initiative to explore the musical culture of Christiansfeld – focusing on the performance of music from the town’s Moravian congregational archives and on preparing a larger project combining performance and academic research.

The symposium highlights Christiansfeld’s musical culture in its heyday, emphasizing its transnational perspective and broader cultural dimensions. Keynote speakers include leading specialists from Denmark and abroad, and the aim is to bring together researchers to exchange ideas and outline the current state of Moravian music studies.