International organ concerts in Freiburg Minster

This series of organ concerts has been an integral part of Freiburg's summer cultural life for over 90 years. The unique organ installation in the wonderful space of the cathedral is a magnet for outstanding international performers and organ enthusiasts from all over the world. The symbiosis of space and sound inspires and fascinates performers and listeners alike - creating very special sound experiences and thrilling concert experiences.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750
Fantasy and Fugue in C minor BWV 537

William Byrd (1543-1623)
Fantasia in a

Franz Danksagmüller (*1969)
A Fancy (2017)
based on the Fantasia in a by William Byrd

Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Trois Danses JA 120
Joies (Joys)
Deuils (Mourning)
Luttes (Struggles)

Max Reger (1873-1916)
Fantasia and Fugue in D minor op. 135b

As one of the most renowned organ virtuosos and organ teachers, Ludger Lohmann has had a lasting influence on organ culture. His concert career, which has taken him to many important churches, cathedrals and concert halls around the world, began with awards at several major international competitions, including the ARD Competition in Munich in 1979 and the Grand Prix de Chartres in 1982.
Born in Herne in 1954, he studied organ with Wolfgang Stockmeier and harpsichord with Hugo Ruf at the Cologne University of Music. While working on a musicological dissertation on "Articulation on keyboard instruments of the 16th-18th centuries" at Cologne University, he absorbed important artistic impulses from Anton Heiller in Vienna and Marie-Claire Alain in Paris. His commitment to this artistic heritage motivated him to place his own pedagogical work on an equal footing with his concert activities. For over 40 years, initially at the Cologne Academy of Music and from 1983 as a professor at the Stuttgart Academy of Music, he has trained numerous young organists from all over the world, many of whom are now performing and teaching fruitfully themselves. A central concern has always been the pursuit of an interpretation of musical works based on the stylistic conventions of their time of origin, based on the findings set out in his dissertation, which were later expanded in numerous publications on the 19th and 20th centuries. Musically, they are documented in many CD productions.
Ludger Lohmann's artistic and pedagogical charisma has taken him around the world as a guest professor, lecturer in countless masterclasses and juror in many competitions. As a scientist, he was associated with the major organ research project GOArt at the University of Gothenburg. As an expert he has accompanied important organ building and restoration projects in several countries. In recognition of his many activities, the British Royal College of Organists was the first to award him its Medal of Honor. In 2023 he was awarded the "European Church Music Prize"
2025-2027 he was "distinguished visiting professor" at Indiana University in the USA, 2025-2028 "artist in residence" at the Gulangyu Concert Hall in Xiamen, China.

Copyright: Ludger Lohmann