Music

The Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra is the city's orchestra and was founded in 1924 as the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2015, Dan Ettinger has been chief conductor as well as general music director of the state capital. The Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra is a glittering flagship of the music city of Stuttgart and supports its reputation as a world-class cultural metropolis. In addition to concert series in Stuttgart, the orchestra also gives guest performances nationwide as well as abroad - it has already made guest appearances in the USA, Japan, South America and China. Since 2013, the Stuttgart Philharmonic has also acted as the festival orchestra for the Heidenheim Opera Festival.

 Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra (opens in a new tab)

The Stuttgart Music School offers children, young people and adults continuous musical support regardless of social background, cultural background, religion or nationality. The focus is on instrumental and vocal lessons in all styles as well as making music together in orchestras, choirs, ensembles and bands. Elementary music education is offered for children as young as three months.

The range of lessons includes instrumental subjects as well as orchestral and ensemble subjects. In addition, there are workshops, music camps, youth exchanges with music schools in Germany and abroad, as well as music theater and children's performances. The music school prepares particularly talented young people for later music studies.

 Stuttgart Music School (opens in a new tab)

The house orchestra of the Staatstheater Stuttgart has been in existence since 1593, making it one of the oldest theater orchestras in the world. Guest soloists of the Stuttgart State Orchestra have included Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann and Keith Jarrett. Guest conductors have included Richard Strauss, Karl Böhm and Georg Solti. Cornelius Meister has been General Music Director of the Stuttgart State Orchestra since 2018.

In addition to over 230 opera and ballet performances, the State Orchestra also organizes symphony concert series and chamber concerts in the Liederhalle with a classical and modern music programme. There are also various offers for young audiences. For example, a children's workshop on symphony concerts or the "seat cushion concerts" for children aged 4 to 7. The State Orchestra also sponsors the Baden-Württemberg State Youth Orchestra.

 Stuttgart State Orchestra (opens in a new tab)

Since 2016, Stuttgart has been the seat of the merged large orchestra: Formed from the merger of the SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Symphony Orchestra today stands for the combination of predecessor traditions with a new, expanded orientation. The musical program is dedicated to new music as well as classical orchestral symphonies. Concert series, music education for young and old, and chamber concerts round out the profile. And the four-day  SWR Summer Festival (opens in a new tab) on the Schlossplatz is a much-visited highlight of the state capital's open-air offerings.

 SWR Symphony Orchestra (opens in a new tab)

The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra is one of the most renowned ensembles of its kind and impresses with a combination of tradition and innovation. Founded in 1945, the ensemble established itself under Karl Münchinger and gained international recognition. Through a completely new and exemplary way of interpreting the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, the chamber orchestra became a pioneer of historical performance practice. Today, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra delights audiences with an impressive stylistic range, including its own concert series "Sternstunden".

The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra collaborates musically with various partners, including the SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart and the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts. Tours and guest performances in Germany and abroad complement the range of activities. The orchestra's cultural education work with children and young people as part of the SKOhr-Labor education program is also outstanding.

 Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (opens in a new tab)

The International Bach Academy was established as a foundation by Helmuth Rilling in 1981 and plays a central role in Stuttgart's musical life. Committed to European musical culture, the Bach Academy operates a research and continuing education center primarily dedicated to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Music education is a guiding theme of the Bach Academy, which has also found a successful and innovative format in the children's and youth program  BachBewegt! (opens in a new tab) With its ensembles of the Gaechinger Cantorey, consisting of baroque orchestra and choir, it enjoys an international reputation. The annual  Musikfest Stuttgart (opens in a new tab) is one of the city's largest cultural festivals.

 International Bach Academy Stuttgart (opens in a new tab)

The State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart (HMDK) with its distinctive tower on the "Kulturmeile" is an integral part of Stuttgart's cultural life. In the concert hall in the tower as well as in the chamber music hall, students, faculty and guests present a varied concert program ranging from classical to modern. About 450 concerts take place there every year.

Founded in 1857, the Musikhochschule is the oldest university for music and the performing arts in Baden-Württemberg - and also the largest: around 900 students are educated here. In addition to classical instrumental and vocal instruction, the course of study also includes scientific and music-mediating subjects. Music pedagogy and artistic specializations complete the spectrum. The Orchestra Academy with the SWR and the SWR Vocal Ensemble Academy are also of interest.

 State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart (opens in a new tab)

Musik der Jahrhunderte was founded in 1978 and has resided in the venue on the Pragsattel together with the Theaterhaus since 2003. It organizes concert series for new music and the annual  ECLAT Festival Neue Musik Stuttgart (opens in a new tab) in February. In addition, Musik der Jahrhunderte organizes the experimental series "Südseite nachts" at the Theaterhaus, in which the Stuttgart scene has its say as well as exploratory formations from Germany and abroad. The "Neue Vocalisten", an ensemble of Musik der Jahrhunderte, spread Stuttgart's innovative reputation on concert tours in Europe and abroad.

 Music of the centuries (opens in a new tab)

Under the artistic direction of Frieder Bernius, Musik Podium Stuttgart coordinates the activities of the ensembles Kammerchor Stuttgart, Barockorchester Stuttgart, Hofkapelle Stuttgart and Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgart. Highlights of the concert year include tours, guest performances and festivals in Germany and abroad, as well as artistic collaborations. With the popular festivals Open Air Schloss Solitude and Stuttgart Barock, Musik Podium Stuttgart sets important accents in the cultural life of the state capital.

 Music Podium Stuttgart (opens in a new tab)

The art form of the art song has many admirers - including the circle of friends of the composer Hugo Wolf. At the end of the 19th century, the Hugo Wolf Society was formed with the aim of supporting the destitute musician and promoting the art form through song recitals. Even today, the International Hugo Wolf Academy still pursues the goal of promoting and preserving the tradition of art song with its program - and also developing it further with new formats. An important contribution to this is the biennial International Competition for Lied Art, which has established itself as one of the world's most important competitions for Lied duos.

 International Hugo Wolf Academy (opens in a new tab)

The Stuttgart Region Pop Office is a service offered by the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation and the Stuttgart Youth House Society with the support of the state capital Stuttgart. It promotes and networks up-and-coming talents, artists and exploiters of pop music. The wide range of services offered includes individual advice, arranging gigs and rehearsal rooms, renting studio equipment and awarding promotional prizes. Another important component is the extensive educational program, which supports talented artists in the form of workshops, seminars and up-and-coming concerts. The "Pop-Büro Sessions" are particularly popular: professionally recorded performances provide musicians and bands from the Stuttgart region with an ideal platform.

 Pop Office Stuttgart (opens in a new tab)

From international jazz legends to mainstream acts and regional newcomers - the BIX Jazzclub brings them to the stage! The jazz club, named after jazz musician Leon "BIX" Beiderbecke, hosts around 250 concerts every year. Young talents from the Stuttgart University of Music's jazz/pop course also perform here. BIX is also an important partner of major festivals such as the "Stuttgarter Jazztage" and  jazzopen (opens in a new tab).

The BIX Jazzclub not only impresses with an impressive music program, but also with its sophisticated acoustics and casual, elegant atmosphere. The concert is accompanied by sophisticated gastronomy. And if you want, you can make yourself comfortable in the gallery with bar and smoking area.

 BIX Jazzclub (opens in a new tab)

Since its founding in 1991, the concerts of the Stuttgart music series "Music on the 13th  " (opens in a new tab) have always - but not only - taken place on the 13th of each month in the late Gothic Stadtkirche and in the neo-Gothic Lutherkirche in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. The church music program includes the great passions of Johann Sebastian Bach or Verdi's "Requiem" as well as selected chamber music works, new music or cycles of works by individual composers. Music on the 13th is also home to the two ensembles Bachchor Stuttgart  " (opens in a new tab) have always - but not only - taken place on the 13th of each month in the late Gothic Stadtkirche and in the neo-Gothic Lutherkirche in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. The church music program includes the great passions of Johann Sebastian Bach or Verdi's "Requiem" as well as selected chamber music works, new music or cycles of works by individual composers. Music on the 13th is also home to the two ensembles Bachchor Stuttgart and Cantus Stuttgart. Prof. Jörg-Hannes Hahn is the artistic director.