Sigmaringen Organ Night

For the fourth time, the district cantorate and the Sigmaringen parish invite you to an organ night at St. Johann. Two top-class organists will perform this evening. One is the former district cantor of Sigmaringen, Prof. Jürgen Essl from Stuttgart, and the other is the former cathedral organist at Fulda Cathedral, Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kaiser. **Jürgen Essl** is professor of organ at the HMDK Stuttgart. Previously, he was professor at the Lübeck University of Music and church musician in Sigmaringen. An intensive concert and teaching career has taken him throughout Europe, to Japan, Taiwan, Israel, the USA, and Mexico. He has performed as a concert organist at the Moscow Philharmonic, the Smetana Hall in Prague, the Vienna Konzerthaus, Notre Dame in Paris, the Maison de la Radio in Paris, and many other venues. The CD recording of organ improvisations in Mexico City Cathedral together with Jeremy Joseph was named CD of the Year by Klassik heute. Jürgen Essl's compositional oeuvre includes works for organ, piano, chamber music, choir, and orchestra, including the oratorio "De Angelis." In 2003, he was awarded the Baden-Württemberg Church Music Composition Prize, and in 2024, the Johann Wenzel Stamitz Prize. **Hans-Jürgen Kaiser** was cathedral organist at Fulda Cathedral from October 1989 to the end of September 2024. From 1990, he was a lecturer in improvisation/liturgical organ playing and organ literature at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and became a university professor of organ improvisation in 1995. Since October 1, 2024, Prof. Kaiser has been in "restless retirement," but continues to work as a professor of organ improvisation and organ literature in Mainz and is head of the department of church music and also works as a freelance concert organist. He now lives in Mägerkingen and recently made a name for himself with an inclusive "open singing" event in Mariaberg. His busy career as an organist is evidenced by numerous CD recordings on the Fulda Cathedral organ and recordings that can be found on his YouTube channel. Admission is free! Donations are welcome.