European Hanseatic Ensemble - Germany

The ensemble is composed of vocal soloists and instrumentalists who have excelled in the masterclasses of the previous year. They will play on instruments of the time around 1600: cornets, baroque trombones, violins in old scale, viole da gamba, dulcian, lute instruments and organ. In this instrumentation, the young musicians from many European countries perform works by composers who were active in the Hanseatic cities during the Hanseatic period (before 1669) and transport the audience into a world of sound that shaped the musical life of the old Hanseatic cities roughly 400 years ago.

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Young Talents for Hanseatic Music – New project since January 2025

The EU-funded project 'Young Talents for Hanseatic Music' (YTHM) gives young musicians the opportunity to develop and perform the vocalinstrumental ensemble music of the Hanseatic period on and with large organ instruments built in the historical style. After all, anyone looking for the original sound of representative ensemble music from around 1600 cannot ignore the inclusion of ‘real’ organs. But there are only a few places in Europe where it is still possible to immerse yourself in this fascinating world of sound. Thanks to the cooperation between Orlando e.V., Göteborg International Organ Academy and Stichting Groningen Orgelstad, young musicians from all over Europe can gain an insight into the repertoire of the Hanseatic period in masterclasses (2025 and 2026). On a concert tour of the European Hanseatic Ensemble the following year (2026 and 2027 respectively), they will experience performance situations that were common at the time the compositions were written.