Primary Schools

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. The »443 Hertz« offer and the rehearsal visits provide the opportunity to get to know the musicians at close quarters, to become musically active in an exchange with them and to feel the power of music directly. Second grade pupils can also experience all this when they take part in the big project »Singing with class!«

Christmas is the season of miracles and mysterious events. Orchestra-dog Gürzi knows that as well, and invites you to come along with Marie into the magical world of the Nutcracker and experience exciting adventures. In the staged concert, the Gürzenich Orchestra retells one of the most popular Christmas stories, based on the fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The famous music of Peter Tchaikovsky sets the holiday mood on the second Sunday of Advent.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - probably the most famous child prodigy in music history. But what exactly is the story behind him and his music?

In the school concerts for grades 1-4, principal conductor François-Xavier Roth, Juri Tetzlaff and the Gürzenich-Orchestra take a close look at the composer and his works, .

Do you want to develop your own concert, stand on stage and make music or present it yourself? Pupils can experience all this as part of the series »443 Hertz« - in direct cooperation with the professionals from the Gürzenich Orchestra. The focus of this project is the practical engagement with music. Accompanied by a lecturer, chamber ensembles of the Gürzenich Orchestra prepare a concert for the whole school together with a school class in weekly workshops. Including various art forms, the pupils get to know selected works and develop their own personal approach to music. This results in an individual concert programme which is performed together with the musicians. The workshops and concert take place at the school.

A Stroll through Sound 

If you prick up your ears and listen carefully, there are lots of fascinating and varied sounds hiding everywhere in everyday life. The pupils are invited to listen consciously during the workshops and to perceive their surroundings with open ears. In addition, the string quartet will bring along selected works in which the composers have also processed sounds from nature and the environment. The pupils actively engage with the music in the workshops and develop their own sound improvisation.

This offer is aimed at pupils in grades 3-4. Participation is free of charge. 

In schools in Cologne. 

The registration period for this offer in the season 23/24 has ended. Registraion for this season is no longer possible.

Registrations for the 24/25 season are planned to be accepted from the beginning of May 2024.

Transformed into a little tomte because of his cheeky pranks, Nils Holgersson sets off on a wonderful journey on the back of the tame domestic goose Martin and in the midst of a flock of wild geese. Together they experience exciting adventures and learn what true friendship means. This year, the big participatory project »Singing with class!« revolves around the well-known story by Selma Lagerlöf.

Over a period of two months, 300 children in the second year of school will work on the work composed especially for them under the guidance of singing instructors, which will be performed at the end in two concerts with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne.

Second graders interested in participating in the children's choir can get more information under koelner-philharmonie.de/education