zamus: zentrum für alte musik

zamus: zentrum für alte musik - Germany

zamus: zentrum für alte musik
zamus:
- is a platform for the more than 170 musicians and ensembles of the Kölner Gesellschaft für Alte Musik e.V. (KGAM), which supports zamus
- organizes and supports scientific, innovative and experimental events and series with a focus on early music.
- is committed to the independent early music scene in NRW, is its musical contact point and contributes to its international appeal
- connects artists, scholars, amateur musicians, children, young people, students and all music lovers
- offers space for all those interested in early music in new formats
- is the lighthouse project next to the Helios Tower in the center of Cologne-Ehrenfeld and a unique music center in Germany.

zamus: zentrum für alte musik
Heliosstraße 15, Köln, 50825, Germany / (0221) 987-43821 / info@zamus.de

Paradise Lost | zamus: festival de musique ancienne 2026

Germany

Paradise Lost
21–30 May 2026

What remains of paradise once we have lost it, and what emerges when we reinvent it?

Under the motto ‘Paradise Lost’, the 16th edition of zamus: early music festival explores and discovers musical utopias, artistic visions of the future, ethereal paradises and forgotten soundscapes: this varied programme features 21 events spread over 10 days, bringing together up to 200 artists across the city of Cologne. At the heart of the festival’s programme remain early music and historical performance practices, which pave the way for fruitful encounters transcending genres: Korean music meets French minnesang, ancient Arabic chants meet opera arias, and contemporary dance meets the musical rhetoric of the Baroque.

Artists:
Brosse Consort, Cinquecento, Collective of Unfinished Creation, Ensemble Céladon, [hanse]Pfeyfferey, Evas Äpfel, Flautando Köln, GaMuAk, Kölner Vokalsolisten, MOUVOIR, opia, Oriental Echo, Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla, PastForward Ensemble, Primary Colours, tiefsaits, VOX BONA, zamus: amateur baroque orchestra, Bryan Benner, Clara Blessing, Malika Kishino, Verena Brakonier, Yunhee Choi, Martin Erhardt, Andreas Gilger, Mareike Greb, Detlef Haberland, Farimah Karimi, Friederike Kawlath, Naoko Kikuchi, Anastasiia Kolabanova, Yongbeom Kwon, Sören Leupold, Christina C. Messner, Robert Oberaigner, Aurora Peña, Andrea Pyttlik, Friedemann Stolte, Stephanie Thiersch, Sigrid T’Hooft, Anja Tovirac, Daniel Trumbull, Susanne Wankell, Kai Wessel
Venues:
Museum of East Asian Art, Kolumba, Schnütgen Museum, VENTANA, Deutschlandfunk Chamber Music Hall, Stadtgarten, Altes Pfandhaus, Pattenhalle Ehrenfeld, St. Michael’s, Christuskirche, St. Ursula’s, Trinitatiskirche

Tickets available online at zamusfestival.de and zamus.de, by telephone on +49 221 9874 38 21 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 am to 2 pm) and at the Theaterkasse Neumarkt box office (Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6.30 pm, ticket hotline +49 221 42 07 6000 or via tickets@theaterkasse-neumarkt.de)

Instagram: zamus_koeln
Facebook: zentrumfueraltemusik
YouTube: zamus: zentrum für alte musik
www.zamusfestival.de

Graphic design: zamus/Good Enough Studio
Paradise Lost | zamus: festival de musique ancienne 2026

zamus: zentrum für alte musik
Agenda

Paradise re-load – The Story of Lucifer’s Fall | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 21 May to 21 May / Germany

Paradise re-load – The Story of Lucifer’s Fall | zamus: early music festival 2026

Collective of Unfinished Creation Charlotte Nachtsheim – soprano Cyril…

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Lamentations from Exile – The Lamentations of Jeremiah by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 21 May to 21 May / Germany

Lamentations from Exile – The Lamentations of Jeremiah by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina | zamus: early music festival 2026

Cinquecento Terence Wey – Cantus Tore Tom Denys – Tenor Tim Scott Whitley…

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East Asian Evening | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 22 May to 22 May / Germany

East Asian Evening | zamus: early music festival 2026

Utopia of the Moment – Korean music and dance traditions GaMuAk Yunhee…

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Of Troubadours and Nightingales – Culinary and Musical Explorations in the Repertoire of the Minstrels | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 23 May to 23 May / Germany

Of Troubadours and Nightingales – Culinary and Musical Explorations in the Repertoire of the Minstrels | zamus: early music festival 2026

Ensemble Celadon Clara Coutouly – soprano Paulin Bündgen –…

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Wietje in the Land of Colours – Family concert & creative workshop | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

Wietje in the Land of Colours – Family concert & creative workshop | zamus: early music festival 2026

Flautando Cologne Susanna Borsch – recorders Susanne Hochscheid –…

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Echoes of Heritage – Von uralten geistlichen Gesängen bis zu zeitgenössischen Liedern | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

Echoes of Heritage – Von uralten geistlichen Gesängen bis zu zeitgenössischen Liedern | zamus: early music festival 2026

Oriental Echo Rita William – vocals, Middle Eastern percussion Rageed…

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Oh lovely peace – The Fall of Man on the opera stage | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

Oh lovely peace – The Fall of Man on the opera stage | zamus: early music festival 2026

Anastasiia Kolabanova – Soprano and zamus: amateur baroque…

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The Dreams of Aeneas – Staged Concert | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

The Dreams of Aeneas – Staged Concert | zamus: early music festival 2026

Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla and Sigrid T’Hooft Aurora Peña –…

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Eva’s Return. The apple was just the beginning. – A musical and literary journey through centuries of female perspectives | zamus: early music festival 2026
Historical Ball | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

Historical Ball | zamus: early music festival 2026

Cast: Martin Erhardt – Musical Director Mareike Greb – Dance,…

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Let’s get to work! A walking concert with the Bremen Town Musicians | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

Let’s get to work! A walking concert with the Bremen Town Musicians | zamus: early music festival 2026

[hanse]Pfeyfferey Lilli Pätzold – cornetto Laura Dümpelmann – pommer,…

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zamus: academy – young talents | zamus: early music festival 2026zamus: academy – junge Talente | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: academy – young talents | zamus: early music festival 2026zamus: academy – junge Talente | zamus: early music festival 2026

Line-up: Clara Blessing – oboe Robert Oberaigner – clarinet 5 scholarship…

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The Unfinished Paradise – Motets full of comfort and reassurance | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

The Unfinished Paradise – Motets full of comfort and reassurance | zamus: early music festival 2026

Cast:  Karin Freist-Wissing – Conductor VOX BONA Choir Fiete Wulff –…

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Plectrum Musicum – Peaceful Takeover: Italian musical culture meets German compositional art | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 27 May to 27 May / Germany

Plectrum Musicum – Peaceful Takeover: Italian musical culture meets German compositional art | zamus: early music festival 2026

Primary Colours Charlotte Nachtsheim – soprano Karoline Echeverri Klemm,…

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Cassandra’s Voice – Visions and Warnings of Doom from the Recent and Distant Past | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 27 May to 27 May / Germany

Cassandra’s Voice – Visions and Warnings of Doom from the Recent and Distant Past | zamus: early music festival 2026

tiefsaits Anna Reisener, Alma Stolte, Mirjam-Luise Münzel – cello Yongbeom…

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Arcadia: Death in Paradise – A Musical Saga: Monteverdi’s Madrigals and Instrumental Works | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 28 May to 28 May / Germany

Arcadia: Death in Paradise – A Musical Saga: Monteverdi’s Madrigals and Instrumental Works | zamus: early music festival 2026

opia Eva-Leonie Fegers, Alina Loewenich – recorders, concept Julia…

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Stolen Time – Silent film with music | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 28 May to 28 May / Germany

Stolen Time – Silent film with music | zamus: early music festival 2026

tiefsaits Anna Reisener, Alma Stolte, Mirjam-Luise Münzel – cello and…

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Once upon a time, the whole world was… – Musical reflections on scenes and themes from John Milton’s *Paradise Lost* | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 29 May to 29 May / Germany

Once upon a time, the whole world was… – Musical reflections on scenes and themes from John Milton’s *Paradise Lost* | zamus: early music festival 2026

Brosse Brosse Consort Irene Klein, B rian Franklin, Katharina Schlegel,…

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Round Table on Early Music – Classicism, Early Music and its Social Dimension | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 30 May to 30 May / Germany

Round Table on Early Music – Classicism, Early Music and its Social Dimension | zamus: early music festival 2026

Symposium Friederike Kawlath, Verena Brakonier, Andrea Pyttlik, Susanne…

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Cobalt Garden – A choreographed concert | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 30 May to 30 May / Germany

Cobalt Garden – A choreographed concert | zamus: early music festival 2026

MOUVOIR Magdalena Öttl, Manon Parent, Polina Sonis – Dance Cologne Vocal…

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:juba | Kopfchaos – Ein Hauch von Zukunft

From 27 June to 27 June / Germany

:juba | Kopfchaos – Ein Hauch von Zukunft

Wir machen das selbst! Beim :juba – jugend barock musik festival gestalten…

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Past events

zamus: unlimited // Al Mutaqa

From 11 September to 11 September / Germany

zamus: unlimited // Al Mutaqa

Like no other ensemble, Sanstierce stands for the subtle fusion of…

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zamus: unlimited // Schütz and Brahms - Two Brothers in the Spirit

20 November / Germany

zamus: unlimited // Schütz and Brahms - Two Brothers in the Spirit

On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of his death, this year the Bach…

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zamus: unlimited // To invoke the clouds

30 April / Germany

zamus: unlimited // To invoke the clouds

How to listen with the whole body? Imagine not only listening to the…

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zamus: early music festival

From 14 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival

From 14 to 25 May, the 13th zamus: early music festival will explore the…

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you:gendbarockmusikfestival: "Crescendo"

From 16 June to 17 June / Germany

you:gendbarockmusikfestival: "Crescendo"

For the second time, zamus presents the you:gendbaroque music festival -…

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zamus: umlimited // Sympatheia συμπάθεια - Sound of resonance

From 22 October to 22 October / Germany

zamus: umlimited // Sympatheia συμπάθεια - Sound of resonance

Cultural goods also travelled along European-Scandinavian trade routes:…

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zamus: unlimited // Extreme: Airy harmonies

From 27 October to 27 October / Germany

zamus: unlimited // Extreme: Airy harmonies

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, one of the most progressive composers of the…

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zamus: support // Holistic voice training

From 23 November to 23 November / Germany

zamus: support // Holistic voice training

Workshop with Agnes Erkens at zamus: Centre for Early Music…

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zamus: support // Space for empathy

From 05 December to 05 December / Germany

zamus: support // Space for empathy

Workshop with Sonja Nowakowski at zamus: Centre for Early Music…

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zamus: unlimited // Eye images

From 15 December to 15 December / Germany

zamus: unlimited // Eye images

Folkwang Barock, the student orchestra of the Folkwang University of the…

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zamus: unlimited // Breaking Points

From 30 December to 30 December / Germany

zamus: unlimited // Breaking Points

Biographical breaks, breaks between times, places, genres - In the 10th…

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Beyond Baroque

From 03 February to 03 February / Germany

Beyond Baroque

For 3 February 2024, the young baroque ensemble Lantana Camara has put…

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zamus: early music festival | Repeat it! | Dorothee Oberlinger

From 21 May to 21 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Repeat it! | Dorothee Oberlinger

The opening concert of the festival is all about the circular, the…

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zamus: early music festival | The Oneirocritics – An interactive improvisation

From 21 May to 21 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | The Oneirocritics – An interactive improvisation

Jonathan Keren (violin) and Panos Iliopoulos (harpsichord) are experienced…

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zamus: early music festival | Orpheus' Echo | Per-Sonat

From 22 May to 22 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Orpheus' Echo | Per-Sonat

The Per-Sonat ensemble, led by singer Sabine Lutzenberger, brings this…

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zamus: early music festival | Shvayg Mayn Harts |

From 23 May to 23 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Shvayg Mayn Harts |

Michael Alexander Willens is eager to share songs with his audience…

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zamus: early music festival | Adio Querida | Me La Amargates Tú

From 23 May to 23 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Adio Querida | Me La Amargates Tú

The ensemble Me La Amargates Tú takes us on a journey into the atmospheric…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: academy | with Clara Blessing and Evgeny Sviridov

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: academy | with Clara Blessing and Evgeny Sviridov

The aim of zamus: academy is to promote young talent in early music. The…

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zamus: early music festival | Media vita in morte sumus | Graindelavoix

From 24 May to 24 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Media vita in morte sumus | Graindelavoix

“In the midst of life we are embraced by death,” is how Martin Luther…

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zamus: early music festival | lovebird.s | trio.s

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | lovebird.s | trio.s

lovebird.s is a spatial-musical performance that deals experimentally with…

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zamus: early music festival | Symposium: Invisible Women

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Symposium: Invisible Women

Western music history was mainly written by men, with a few female…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon

It has long since become a tradition at the zamus: early music festival:…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon| Carnival of the animals

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon| Carnival of the animals

Together with narrator and actress Ulrike Hansen, the group Les Voyageurs…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Magic

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Magic

The magician Astrid Gloria and presenter  Andreas Gilger will guide the…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Go to sleep, my little baby

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Go to sleep, my little baby

The ensemble Evas Äpfel has an unusual and varied selection of night…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | The Oracle

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | The Oracle

Consult the oracle! - In its interactive concert format, the…

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zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Il Canto delle Sirene

From 26 May to 26 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | zamus: early music marathon | Il Canto delle Sirene

The bewitching singing of the sorceresses Alcina, Armida and Circe left…

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zamus: early music festival | ... aus dem Traum, dem bangen ... | Romantic song recital

From 28 May to 28 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | ... aus dem Traum, dem bangen ... | Romantic song recital

Longing - hope - magic - dream - death. These keywords can be used to…

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zamus: early music festival | Metamorfosi Trecento | with Clara Blessing und Evgeny Sviridov

From 28 May to 28 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Metamorfosi Trecento | with Clara Blessing und Evgeny Sviridov

Ars Nova meets traditional Indian dance  Jacopo da Bologna and his fellow…

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zamus: early music festival | I'm scared of dying. What do I do? | CONTINUUM

From 29 May to 29 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | I'm scared of dying. What do I do? | CONTINUUM

In Johann Sebastian Bach's "Musical Offering", Elina Albach and her…

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Zamus: early music festival I La vida es sueño I  Marsyas Baroque, Martí Corbera

21 May/19h00 / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I La vida es sueño I Marsyas Baroque, Martí Corbera

Symbiosis of flamenco dance and baroque music Together with the…

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Zamus: early music festival I Sieben letzte Worte | Ludus Instrumentalis, Andreas Staier

21 May/20h30 / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I Sieben letzte Worte | Ludus Instrumentalis, Andreas Staier

String quartet and fortepiano in exchange How do you set a person's last…

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Zamus: early music festival I Le sace de mon temps I Christina C. Messner

22 May/19h30 / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I Le sace de mon temps I Christina C. Messner

Laboratory format between experiment, noise and melody Violinist Christina…

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zamus: early music festival | Hollywood am Nil | Oxford Maqam

25 May/17h30 / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Hollywood am Nil | Oxford Maqam

Tango from the Golden Age of Egypt With the establishment of radio and…

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Zamus: early music festival I Licht! I Christina Meißner, Jörg Becker

22 May/21h00 / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I Licht! I Christina Meißner, Jörg Becker

Dialogue between light art & cello Leaving everyday life behind, escaping…

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zamus: early music festival |Ganz Ohr | Jennifer Arri

25 May/19h00 / Germany

zamus: early music festival |Ganz Ohr | Jennifer Arri

Guided meditation   Jennifer Arri, body therapist, leads a meditation with…

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zamus: early music festival | Historical Dance Ball | Martin Erhardt, Mareike Greb

25 May/19h30 / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Historical Dance Ball | Martin Erhardt, Mareike Greb

There's no question: dancing is fun. The musician Martin Erhardt and the…

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zamus: early music festival I zamus: academy – young talents

23 May/18h00 / Germany

zamus: early music festival I zamus: academy – young talents

The concert of the young talents of early music Final concert of the…

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zamus: early music festival | Gustav Mahler and the music of yoga | Compagnia di Punto

27 May/19h00 / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Gustav Mahler and the music of yoga | Compagnia di Punto

Western and Indian philosophy have very different perspectives on life.…

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zamus: early music festival I Mahler and Beethoven four-hands

23 May/19h30 / Germany

zamus: early music festival I Mahler and Beethoven four-hands

Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya and Richard Egarr present as Duo Pleyel…

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zamus: early music festival | In Ewigkeit | Ensemble Nusmido

27 May/20h30 / Germany

zamus: early music festival | In Ewigkeit | Ensemble Nusmido

Mystical chants from the 12th century The thought of something eternal has…

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Zamus: early music festival I Creating new Spaces: Approaches to Colonial Heritage in Early Music

24 May/10h00 / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I Creating new Spaces: Approaches to Colonial Heritage in Early Music

This year's symposium will focus on historically evolved structures of…

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zamus: early music festival | La chemise blanche | focus baroque

From 28 May to 28 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | La chemise blanche | focus baroque

From the French royal court to modern Estonia Gambist Holger Faust-Peters…

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zamus: early music festival I Dido in Karthago | Anna Herbst, Teatro del mondo

24 May/19h00 / Germany

zamus: early music festival I Dido in Karthago | Anna Herbst, Teatro del mondo

Opera & Arabic classical music The baroque music from Henry Purcell's…

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zamus: early music festival I Familyconcert: Die Klangentdecker I La petite écurie

25 May/11h00 / Germany

zamus: early music festival I Familyconcert: Die Klangentdecker I La petite écurie

A family concert with wonderful oboe stories for listeners aged 4 and…

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zamus: early music festival | Heavenly Bodies | Ensemble Hourglass

28 May/20h30 / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Heavenly Bodies | Ensemble Hourglass

Spherical harmonies and microtonalities between the renaissance and…

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zamus: early music festival | Planet Bach | Ensemble MuOM, METEOR

From 29 May to 29 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Planet Bach | Ensemble MuOM, METEOR

Bach meets overtone singing Overtone singing in heavenly spheres awaits…

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zamus: early music festival I Sento la gioia | zamus: amateur barock orchester

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival I Sento la gioia | zamus: amateur barock orchester

The zamus: amateur baroque orchestra is the first baroque orchestra for…

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zamus: early music festival | Playgrounds | Nuovo Aspetto

From 30 May to 30 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Playgrounds | Nuovo Aspetto

A Japanese sensory intoxication with movie & onigiri Recorder star Stefan…

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zamus: early music festival | Botanica  | zamus: kollektiv, Bernd Niedecken

From 31 May to 31 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival | Botanica | zamus: kollektiv, Bernd Niedecken

A transdisciplinary performance on the habitability of our planet The…

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zamus: early music festival I Memento Mori I Lantana Camara

From 25 May to 25 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival I Memento Mori I Lantana Camara

Memento Mori (“to be aware of your mortality”) is an ancient concept that…

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Zamus: early music festival I early music inclusive I accessibility at the zamus: early music festival

From 05 May to 05 May / Germany

Zamus: early music festival I early music inclusive I accessibility at the zamus: early music festival

Event to mark the day of protest for equality for people with…

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zamus: early music festival 2025

From 21 May to 31 May / Germany

zamus: early music festival 2025

zamus: early music festival 2025  May 21-31, 2025 | Cologne From May 21…

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:juba - jugend barock musik festival | Sparkling Caprice

28 June / Germany

:juba - jugend barock musik festival | Sparkling Caprice

The :juba - jugend barock musik festival is the only early music festival…

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Seufzer | BARBARA Ensemble

30 November / Germany

Seufzer | BARBARA Ensemble

"Seufzer" explores the universal human expression of sighing, aiming to…

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zamus: Weihnachtsfest | Gemeinsames Musizieren und Singen

09 December / Germany

zamus: Weihnachtsfest | Gemeinsames Musizieren und Singen

After the wonderful togetherness and joint music-making last year, we…

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Musica Sacra Ukraina | Ukrainian Christmas

From 18 December to 18 December / Germany

Musica Sacra Ukraina | Ukrainian Christmas

The Ensemble Partes presents Ukrainian masterpieces of Baroque and early…

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zamus: impro lab | Improvisation in Early Music

From 18 November to 18 November
From 20 January to 20 January
From 17 February to 17 February
From 20 March to 20 March
From 21 April to 21 April / Germany

zamus: impro lab | Improvisation in Early Music

A workshop series for early music musicians, courageous individuals, and…

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