Closing concert of the ecumenical church music week in Gosau

On Friday, 25 July 2025 in the parish church of Bad Ischl

Participants:
Overall direction: Landeskirchenmusikdirektor Jochen Steuerwald, Speyer
Christian von Blohn organ solo
BK Tobias Martin organ accompaniment
Choir of the Gosau Church Music Study Weeks

For more than 60 years, the Salzkammergut has provided the charming backdrop for a special music project: in Gosau, at the foot of the imposing Dachstein massif, musicians from Germany and many other European countries meet in summer for the Gosau Singing Weeks (Ecumenical Church Music Study Weeks). The artistic director is Jochen Steuerwald, the regional church music director from Speyer (Germany). During the day, individual hiking, sightseeing and relaxation fill the programme. The evening is reserved for intensive rehearsals. The highlight of the fourteen-day stay will be three concerts in which the participants will present the musical programme they have developed with instrumental support.

In order to make the musical holiday a real family experience, even the little ones are not left out: A children's choir project has been integrated for many years. Vera Steuerwald is the director here. She is a vocal pedagogue and youth music teacher and has been a very successful children's choir leader for many years.

Courses in organ playing with district cantor Tobias Markutzik and choral conducting with regional church music director Jochen Steuerwald round off the programme.

The Gosau Singing Weeks (Ecumenical Church Music Study Weeks) are taking place for the 65th time this year. This time, the singers will be together from Monday, 14 July to Monday, 28 July 2025. The concert programme includes five Bach motets that are sure to make most hearts beat faster: We start with the double chorus "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn", which was previously attributed to Johann Christoph Bach. We also continue with a double choir with "Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf". This is followed by the virtuoso four-part motet "Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden", the eight-part funeral motet "Komm, Jesu, komm" and - as the crowning finale - the highly virtuoso double-choir motet "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied".

The concerts will take place at 8 pm on Friday, 25 July in the parish church of St. Nikolaus Bad Ischl, on Saturday, 26 July in the parish church of St. Paul Bad Aussee and on Sunday, 27 July in the Protestant church in Gosau.

The two Sunday services on 20 and 27 July in Gosau will also be performed by the Singwochenchor. A selection of the fruits of the children's singing will also be performed in the church service on Sunday 27 July. District cantor Tobias Markutzik, Kusel, will assist in the rehearsals and conduct and rehearse the music for the church service. The organisation is in the hands of Rebecca Sieron and treasurer Brigitte Feth. The organiser is the Regional Association for Church Music in the Protestant Church of the Palatinate.

For questions regarding registration, please contact:
Ev. Kirche der Pfalz Amt für Kirchenmusik
Frau Rebecca Sieron
Roßmarktstraße 4, D-67346 Speyer
Tel.: 0049 6232-667 403
kirchenmusik@evkirchepfalz.de
www.dachstein-salzkammergut.at