Secondary School

Programmes for classes 5-13

Music fascinates, it awakens feelings and is listened to with pleasure. But it can do much more: as an important part of school education, music can strengthen concentration, social responsibility, self-confidence and group spirit. What would lessons be without the live experience of music? The school concerts awaken the enthusiasm and passion with which the Gürzenich Orchestra also performs every concert. For a comprehensive pre- and post-concert preparation, teaching materials, workshops for teachers as well as school visits and meet & greets are offered. 

Am schönsten fand ich in der Philharmonie, dass ich ganz viele Instrumente gesehen habe und dass ich direkt neben einer Pauke saß - ich habe sie gespürt, sie war echt stark!

Lena, 13 Jahre

School Concert

Cinematic

Music has the ability to affect our emotions and create moods. It can move us to tears, boost our confidence or give us goose bumps. This power of music is particularly used in films to add atmosphere to scenes and deliberately control the audience's emotions. But how does it work?

In the "Cinematic" school concert for grades 5 to 8, the Gürzenich Orchestra explores works composed specifically for film as well as classical compositions that are often used in films. Together we will experience how music stimulates the imagination and brings stories to life.

Additional programmes

to the school concert
  • Musicians in the Classroom

      Personal contact and proximity to the young audience is particularly important to the musicians of the Gürzenich Orchestra. In preparation for each school concert, they visit school classes, present their instruments and work out the music of the concert together with the classes. The pupils can ask all their questions about the concert and the musicians' everyday life and perhaps even try out the instruments themselves.

      Dates

      for the school concert »Cinemati« for grades 5-8
      Tue 20.05.25

      Time by arrangement

      Register

      Participation in this offer is free of charge, the prerequisite for participation is the
      purchase of tickets for the school concert for classes 5-8.

      The registration period is already over. From spring 2025, you will find all information about the programmes on offer for the upcoming 2025/26 season and the relevant registration for

  • Meet & Greet

      An orchestra concert is an impressive experience. But what if you still have a burning question or want to experience an instrument up close and personal? School classes attending a school concert can meet the orchestra musicians right after the concert, asking all the questions they can think of and commenting on anything they have noticed during the concert.

      Dates

      to the school concert »Cinematic« for classes 5-8
      Tue, 27.05.2025 after the 2nd concert

      Foyer of the Kölner Philharmonie

       

      Register

      Participation is free of charge. the requirement for participation is the purchase of tickets to school concert.

      Register here using the registration form.

  • Workshops for Teachers

      Six weeks before the school concerts, preparatory materials (in German) for the concert are available here for downloading. In addition, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne offers teachers a brief workshop introducing and explaining the materials in practical terms. The content of the lessons can be tried out, and there is an opportunity to adapt the materials to the needs of your own class.

      Dates

      for the school concert »Cinematic« for grades 5-8
      Fri 04.04.25
      4 - 6 pm

      Cologne Philharmonie

      Register

      Attendence is free of charge.

      You can register here.  

Crash Course Opera

Probenbesuch und Workshop

School classes that may never have had any contact with classical music have the opportunity to get to know two great cultural institutions from a very personal point of view.

The Cologne Opera and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne now offer a unique look behind the scenes.

First, the students get to know the orchestra: Sitting next to their favourite instrument, they experience a half-hour rehearsal of the musicians for the next opera production. In preparation, they get an introduction where they can learn a lot about the orchestra. Afterwards, the piece is examined from a different angle: In a scenic workshop, the students learn everything about the content of the opera and can try out their own theatre skills.

A cooperation of the Gürzenich Orchestra and the Cologne Opera 

Dates

La Bohème
Mi, 18.12.24  8:45 - 13:00 Uhr

Don Giovanni
Mo, 24.02.25 8:45 - 13:00 Uhr
Mi, 26.02.25  9:45 - 14:00 Uhr

Carmen
Mi, 19.03.25 9:45 - 14:00 Uhr

Register

Participation is free of charge. This programme is meant for grades 7-13.

The registration period is already over. From spring 2025, you will find all information about the programmes on offer for the upcoming 2025/26 season and the relevant registration form.

Symphony Concerts

for Upper School Students

The Gürzenich Orchestra offers special admission fees for upper school students for five concerts of its season. On selected Monday or Tuesday evenings, interested classes and music courses can get to know highlights of music history in symphony concerts of the Gürzenich Orchestra. Seating is allocated according to availability and located in Block Z.

Tickets

5 € students
One free ticket per 10 students

Q&A

to the Symphony concert

Experiencing an orchestra in concert and listening to the music is impressive. But who are the artists on stage and what do they do when they are not playing a concert? Upper school students have the opportunity to ask these and other questions before attending a concert. Orchestral musicians, soloists, conductors and composers visit the school and talk directly to the young audience about everything they want to know about the orchestra and the concert.

Dates

Zum Konzert »Entfesselt« am Di 10.12.24

Zum Konzert »Schall und Rausch« am Mo 24.02.25 

 

Register

Participation in this offer is free of charge, the prerequisite for participation is the
purchase of tickets for the respective concert. 

The registration period is already over. From spring 2025, you will find all information about the programmes on offer for the upcoming 2025/26 season and the relevant registration form.

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