Viola Festival
‘Viola. Finally.’
At last, the viola is getting the attention it deserves.
The old viola jokes seem long outdated – for several decades now, this instrument has been at the centre of musical life for many musicians and composers.
Now it is time to put the viola in the spotlight in Bremen's music world too.
Festival programme
9 January 2026 / Voice of the Viola
Inaugural concert with Prof. Sara Kim at 6 p.m. in the concert hall of the HfK Bremen
10 January 2026 / The Viola as Prima Donna
Master class (12:00-18:00) and final concert (20:00) with Prof. Nils Mönkemeyer in the concert hall of the HfK Bremen
17 January 2026 / Innovative thinking
Improvisation and arrangement workshop (3:00–6:00 p.m.) with Ionel Ungureanu and final concert (7:00 p.m.) with students of the HfK and Ionel Ungureanu in the concert hall of the HfK Bremen
24 January 2026 / Borsch4Breakfast
Concert at 8 p.m. in the gallery of the HfK Bremen.
25 January 2026 / Between Valley and Mountains
Sander Stuart – producer, influencer, podcaster and occasional violist in the Vision String Quartet – interview and discussion
- 12:30–1:15 p.m. / Master class (various rooms)
- 5:00 p.m. / Interview with Sander Stuart (concert hall)
- 7:00 p.m. / Concert by the Vision String Quartet (concert hall)
18 January 2026 / Open rehearsal training
Open rehearsal training (11:00 a.m.) in the concert hall
31. January + 1 February 2026 / The Contemporary
Garth Knox plays and teaches works by Garth Knox with students from the HfK Bremen.
- 31 January, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Master class (concert hall)
- 1 February, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Master class (concert hall)
- 1 February, 4 p.m. Children's concert (Gallery)
- 1 February, 6:00 p.m. Final concert of the master class (Concert Hall)
