Sigmaringen Organ Night

For the fourth time, the district church office and the Sigmaringen parish invite you to an organ night at St. Johann. Two highly acclaimed organists will perform this evening. On one hand, the former district church musician of Sigmaringen, Prof. Jürgen Essl from Stuttgart, and on the other hand, the former cathedral organist at the High Cathedral of Fulda, Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kaiser. Jürgen Essl is a professor of organ at the HMDK Stuttgart. Previously, he was a professor at the Lübeck University of Music and a church musician in Sigmaringen. His intensive concert and teaching activities have taken him across 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 Concert Hall, Notre Dame in Paris, the Maison de la Radio in Paris, and many others. His CD recording featuring organ improvisations in the Cathedral of Mexico City, together with Jeremy Joseph, was awarded 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 Composition Prize for Church Music in Baden-Württemberg, and in 2024, the Johann Wenzel Stamitz Prize. Hans-Jürgen Kaiser served as cathedral organist at the High Cathedral of Fulda from October 1989 until 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 in 1995 he became a university professor for organ improvisation. Since October 1, 2024, Prof. Kaiser is in "retirement," but continues to work as a professor for organ improvisation and organ literature in Mainz and is also the head of the church music department, in addition to being an active concert organist. He currently lives in Mägerkingen and recently made headlines with an inclusive offering for "Open Singing" in Mariaberg. His active work as an organist is evidenced by numerous CD recordings at the Fulda Cathedral organ as well as recordings available on his YouTube channel. Admission is free! Donations are appreciated.