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14th International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival and Competition

May 19-23, 2027 Wernigerode, Germany

International variety meets a historical backdrop

Since 1999, this festival has been a highlight in INTERKULTUR’s calendar, drawing choirs from around the globe to the picturesque town of Wernigerode. Known for its enchanting medieval architecture and deep musical roots, the city offers an inspiring stage for choral excellence.

Named after the great German composer Johannes Brahms, the competition places special emphasis on his works and the broader repertoire of 19th-century German Romanticism—offering a musically enriching experience for choirs of all styles and levels.

In addition to the competition, choirs are invited to take part in valuable educational offerings such as Evaluation Performances and Individual Coachings for artistic growth.

Wernigerode’s historic town hall and charming timber-framed city center provide a one-of-a-kind backdrop for the event.

Thanks to its welcoming spirit, exceptional setting, and broad international participation, the Brahms Choir Festival has earned a reputation as one of INTERKULTUR’s most beloved and rewarding choral events.

Invitation

Welcome to the 14th International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival and Competition. This traditional event has been inspiring choirs from all over the world since 1999, and we look forward to welcoming you all back to the beautiful, historic city of Wernigerode in 2027. Enjoy the wonderful unifying power of music in this great family atmosphere and international community. We are looking forward to seeing you!

Günter Titsch, President INTERKULTUR

Participation opportunities

This event provides you the opportunity to choose from the following options of participation:

Non-competitive Participation	Competitive Participation
Festival Participation**	Competition Categories*
Evaluation Performance*	Evaluation Performance*
Individual Coaching*	Individual Coaching*

friendship concert performance included

* at least two performances included

Competition

Evaluation Performances and Individual Coachings

Friendship Concerts

Johannes Brahms Special Prize

Grand Prize Competition

"The choir festival represents an important cultural highlight which enriches the city of Wernigerode, and exciting and top class cultural days are yet to come. One must simply become part of it, it is a memorable event as I know first-hand."

Peter Gaffert, Mayor of the City of Wernigerode, Germany (Wernigerode 2017)

"I’ve been at many choir festivals and competitions in my career, but this one was special. Everybody's warmth and friendliness, the professional organization, wonderful choirs, great colleagues and perfect venues, and the participation of the local community – all this created a very special experience."

Willi Becker, jury member, Germany (Wernigerode 2019)

"Wernigerode as a city, as well as this whole festival, were both first times for me, and I must admit that both of them were top class experiences!! Having toured somewhat around Europe on concert tours as well as in competitions, yours stands out as a serious top shelf experience among the years."

Juhani Viskari, Kamarikuoro Kaamos, Finland (Wernigerode 2019)

"Heartfelt and sincere thanks for this unique, thoroughly successful musical top-class event! Your dedication and your efforts have moved so many people, joined them together and created a harmony through music that is second to none!"

Josef Kraft, Vokalensemble Familie Kraft, Germany (Wernigerode 2019)

Registration Information

Early Bird Deadline: October 19, 2026
Registration Deadline: December 14, 2026

Costs

For the participation in this event the payment of the Registration Fee (per choir) as well as the Event Package (per person) is required. Choirs that come from a radius of up to 200 km around Wernigerode and therefore do not need an overnight stay, pay a Participant Fee (per person) instead of the Event Package. The prices of the Event Packages and the Participant Fee can be downloaded below or requested using our contact form.

REGISTRATION FEE

To participate in the event the following registration fees have to be paid per choir/ensemble and category in addition to the costs for the event package:

For Early Bird registration the fee for the first activity* is EUR 150. Any additional activity amounts to EUR 200.
For registration until the regular deadline the fee for the first activity* is EUR 300. Any additional activity amounts to EUR 200.

Activities refer to competition participation (1 category = 1 activity) and festival participation (only concerts). For choirs participating in the competitions the performance in a concert is free of charge.

EVENT PACKAGE

With the event package INTERKULTUR offers participants of its events a special service

We take care of all the details and through authorized agencies of the INTERKULTUR event series we offer an event package that includes, amongst others, accommodation in different hotel categories as well as other local services.

Choirs that come from a radius of up to 200 km around Wernigerode and therefore do not need an overnight stay, pay a participant fee per person instead of the event package.
The booking of the event packages which includes already the participant fee is required for all non-regional choirs.

Rates

The rates of the Event Packages vary according to 3 country groups. They based on the United Nations' Human Development Index (HDI) and adopted to the requirements of the national choral scenes.

Please select your country to see the Event Package and - for regional choirs - the participant fee for your participation:

Registration

Visa & Travel Information

Dear friends of choral music,

the issue of visas generally takes a long time. Therefore please make sure to apply for your visa as soon as possible. It is in your own interest. In case you apply too late, you risk a rejection of your visa registration!

Please contact the embassy of the host country in your country to get detailed information what restrictions and regulations apply to you!

Please keep also in mind that you might need transit visas, depending on your itinerary to the competition country.

If you do not have a valid passport yet, please apply for this immediately!

Participants of some countries need an invitation letter as well as a stamped list of participants to apply for a visa. INTERKULTUR can issue these documents.

Information on travel and health regulations of the destination country can be found on this website.

Important Information

INTERKULTUR can issue the invitation letter for the duration of the event and can stamp your list of participants to apply for visas only if you have fulfilled all the following conditions:

you have successfully applied for the event and paid the registration fee to INTERKULTUR
you have paid the down payment for the event package to our partner agency
you have sent us the completed list of participants (no handwriting!)

Please send the list only once and try to avoid changes of participants, as changes may delay the issue of your visa. We recommend adding 3 or 4 alternative names as a reserve for participants who may cancel the travel.

As soon as you have complied with those three conditions we will send the invitation letter including the confirmed list of participants by email to the responsible person of the choir. This person shall bring the documents to the embassy personally.

Please keep in mind that if you comply with the conditions too late so that we have to send the original invitation letter per international express delivery, you have to take over the additional costs (approx. 100 – 300 EUR).

List of Participants

Please download the document, fill it in completely and send it to us as soon as possible.

To open the file the current version of Adobe Reader is required. You can download it at www.adobe.com.

You can send the file

- by sending an email, the list of participants attached, to visawhatever@interkultur.com
- by printing it (after filling it in at your computer – no handwriting!) and sending it to us by fax (+49 6404 69749 29)

We assume no liability regarding the application and granting for visas. We do not offer this service but we gladly assist you when you apply for visa at the respective embassy in your country.

List of Participants

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Impressions

More photos on flickr

Event Details

Venues

Liebfrauen Concert Hall

Market Square Wernigerode

Gerhart Hauptmann Secondary School

Organizer

Destination

Wernigerode is a city with a special flair, as it is not only a gem of medieval architecture but also beautifully located at the edge of the Harz, a low mountain range in Germany. Hardly any other German city has so many gorgeous timber-framed buildings that compete for the visitor’s’ attention: the ideal setting for the parade and the opening ceremony as well as further open air events. And the narrow-gauge-railway also turns the discovery of the surroundings into a wonderful and charming experience.