Looking back: The 2026 Bach Festival
With a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor at Stadtkirche St. Johann, the 31st International Bach Festival Schaffhausen came to a close on Sunday evening. The Freiburg Baroque Ensemble and Vox Luminis performed under the direction of Lionel Meunier to conclude the five-day festival.
Under the motto “Bach Timeless,” the International Bach Festival Schaffhausen celebrated its 80th anniversary from May 13 to 17, 2026. Around 8,000 visitors attended the 30 events held in Schaffhausen and the surrounding region; six of the twelve festival concerts were sold out. The festival program included twelve festival concerts, five cantata services, a music day in Stein am Rhein, an open sing-along, performances for children and schools, as well as guided tours, film screenings, and other accompanying events. Special highlights included new formats at unusual venues, such as the St. John Passion with acrobatics at the Gaswerk Areal and the Goldberg Trilogy by harpsichordist Jean Rondeau. At the open sing-along in Stadtkirche St. Johann, participants sang Bach chorales together, while the audience at the first-ever “Euro-Baroque Song Contest” at the Stadttheater Schaffhausen voted contralto Monika Jagerovà the winner of the evening. Free offerings such as the music day in Stein am Rhein, the anniversary film shown on the VBSH tour bus, and programs for children and families once again made the festival accessible to a broad audience.
The City of Schaffhausen and the Internationale Bachgesellschaft Schaffhausen thank all participating artists, the many staff members, as well as sponsors and partners for their support. Special thanks go to the audience for the tremendous response and the many positive comments.
Listen Again on Radio SRF 2 Kultur
The concert “Bach Four Pianos” by the Gershwin Piano Quartet was recorded by SRF 2 Kultur and will be broadcast on Sunday 9 August 2026 at 4 pm. Following the broadcast, the concert will be available online and in the Play SRF app.
The 32nd International Bach Festival: May 24–28, 2028
The next International Bach Festival Schaffhausen will take place over the Ascension weekend from May 24 to 28, 2028.