• International Mendelssohn Festival Hamburg Summer School 2026
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20th International Mendelssohn Summer School

September 14 – 27, 2026

The Summer School of the International Mendelssohn Festival takes place for the nineteenth time from 14 – 27 September 2026. Renowned artists hold master classes (violin, viola, violoncello, flute, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, piano and chamber music) and perform in concerts at the Hochschule for Music and Theater Hamburg.

Highly qualified music students from four continents will come together in Hamburg for two weeks of master classes to put their musical skills to the test and to further refine their playing under professional guidance. An illustrious team of instructors comprised of internationally renowned professors will coach students during this period.

To the Master Classes
14

Days

31

Master Classes

25

Concerts

120+

Students

∞

Love to music

Timeline Summer School 2026

  • April 15, 2026

    Start of registration phase

  • June 15, 2026

    Registration deadline

  • June 30, 2026

    Completion of selection & notification of participants

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Sophia Jaffe

Sophia Jaffé
Violin

Fine Arts Quartet

Fine Arts Quartet
Chamber Music

Asya Fateyeva

Asya Fateyeva
Saxophone

Annika Treutler copyright Stefan Höderath

Annika Treutler
Piano

The 2026 Summer School will offer over 31 master classes!

All Master Classes

Prof. Niklas Schmidt

Director International Mendelssohn Festival (IMF)

The cellist Niklas Schmidt founded the Mendelssohn Summer School in 2007 together with Klaus Stolberg (Foundation of the Friends of the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre) and Elmar Lampson (former President of the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre).

Since then, the annual Summer School has developed into a festival of international stature. To date, more than 2,300 students from around the world have attended masterclasses with over 100 internationally renowned faculty members. The approximately 25 concerts performed by students and faculty, accessible through a special “Hör(s)pass” festival pass, are highly popular with audiences.

Niklas Schmidt, himself a former Professor of Chamber Music and Violoncello in Hamburg, performed for 20 years with the Trio Fontenay and is currently a member of the Fine Arts Quartet. Today he performs worldwide as a soloist and chamber music partner in a wide variety of ensembles. He is deeply committed to chamber music through numerous initiatives, including his concert series FontenayClassics and the International Chamber Music Competition Hamburg (ICMC).