Secondary School

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« programme and the rehearsal visits offer 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.

Music from plastic bottles or old metal parts? Sounds and rhythms can be found in any everyday object. But how do you find them and which instruments are actually part of percussion? 

Percussionist Vivi Vassileva presents the different facets of her instrument in school concerts for grades 7-9 and, together with conductor Ustina Dubitsky and the Gürzenich Orchestra, initiates a drum roll for a sustainable world.

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 

L’elisir d’amore
Mon 23.10.23 - 08:45 a.m. - 01:00p.m.

Idomeneo
Fri 02.02.24 - 08:45 a.m. - 01:00 p.m.

Idomeneo
Wed 07.02.24 - 02:30 p.m. - 06:45 p.m.

Participation is free of charge. The participation will be drawn among the registrations afterwards.

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.

Designing your own concert programme, standing on stage yourself and making music or moderating? As part of the series »443 Hertz«, students can do all that – in direct collaboration with the professionals of the Gürzenich Orchestra. The centrepiece of this project is the practical exploration of music. Accompanied by an educator, chamber ensembles of the Gürzenich Orchestra work with one class in weekly workshops to prepare a concert for the entire school. Including various art forms, the students get to know selected works, developing their very personal approach to music. This leads to an individual concert programme which is performed together with the musicians. Workshops and the 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 5-13. Participation is free of charge and will then be raffled among the registrations. 

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.

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.

5 € students
One free ticket per 10 students

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.

Zum Abokonzert Nordwind mit Tarmo Peltokoski 
Mo 05.02.24 Uhrzeit nach Absprache 

Zum Abokonzert Liebe Liebe mit François-Xavier Roth
Di 14.05.24 Uhrzeit nach Absprache 

Participation in this offer is free of charge and will then be raffled among the registrations. The prerequisite for participation is the purchase of tickets for the respective concert. 

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.