Four harpists will serve as jury members and masterclass teachers during the Louis Spohr Competition and Festival 2026, including (from l. to r.) Joel von Lerber (photo: Zuzanna Specjal), Sarah O’Brien, Anaëlle Tourret (photo: Harald Hoffmann), and Teresa Zimmermann (photo: Frank Stolle). Louis Spohr Harp Festival and Competition 2026
Two events celebrating the music of Louis Spohr will take place this October in Nieste in central Germany. The 28th Louis Spohr Competition for Harp is scheduled for Oct. 5–7, with a winners’ concert on Oct. 10. The 3rd Louis Spohr Festival for Harp will take place Oct. 6–9 and consists of masterclasses and a final concert for participants, which will include an awards ceremony for course participants and scholarship recipients. Participants may choose to register for the competition, the festival, or both. The registration deadline is June 30.
Four harpists will serve both as the jury members of the competition and as the masterclass teachers during the festival: jury chair Joel von Lerber (Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen), Sarah O’Brien (Zurich University of the Arts, Basel Academy of Music), Anaëlle Tourret (NDR, Hamburg University of Music and Theatre), and Teresa Zimmermann (Munich Philharmonic).
The Louis Spohr Competition is open to all pupils and students born between 1995 and 2008 who meet one of the following criteria: a) citizens of a country within the European Union, b) citizens of a country in which Louis Spohr had been active, or c) students or former students at a university within the European Union. Prizes include the €2,000 Louis Spohr Award and a €500 audience award. Prize winners will also participate in at least one concert of chamber music in Hesse. Required competition repertoire is listed here. For more information, visit the event website.
