March 20 – 23, 2027 | Philharmonie Berlin, Kammermusiksaal
Join Us!
The St Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach is considered one of the most important sacred works in Western music. Composed in 1727 for the Good Friday liturgy in Leipzig, it combines the biblical Passion narrative with arias, chorales, and large-scale choral movements to create a profound musical drama. After Bach’s death, the work fell largely into obscurity until Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy revived it in Berlin in 1829, thereby initiating the Bach Revival.
For our performance at the Philharmonie Berlin, a 360° choir will be formed with participants from around the world. The project is under the artistic direction of Joris Derder.
International Singing Project
at the Philharmonie Berlin
Would you like to sing with us?
The project is open to singers who register individually as well as to choirs and ensembles that can participate as a complete ensemble or as part of an ensemble.
Registrations are now open.
Read more and join us today!
What do we sing?
Johann Sebastian Bach: Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244
(Breitkopf & Härtel Edition, BA05038-90, ISMN 9790006462421)
Scores are available in our webshop or in music stores.
Participating choirs and ensembles also have the opportunity to present their own repertoire in various concerts during the project.
Who will lead the project?
The project is led by Joris Derder, Artistic Director a.o. of the Brussels Choral Society.
Where will rehearsals and concerts take place?
The final rehearsals and concert will be held in the beautiful Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie Berlin and will be part of the official program of the Philharmonie.
Choir rehearsals will take place at the Ernst-Reuter-Saal (Eichborndamm 213, 13437 Berlin).
What costs are involved?
The participation fee for the festival is 120 EUR per participant.
Non-performing accompanying persons are offered a reduced participation fee of 55 EUR per person, which includes access to all rehearsals and tickets in the best category for the concerts, including the performance at the Berlin Philharmonie.
Accompanying persons, friends, and fans who only wish to attend the concerts can purchase tickets in our webshop.
Where can I find accommodation?
For this project, we will select several hotels near the Philharmonie that offer special rates for participants. You will find the offers here soon.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Matthäus-Passion
A spectacular 360° choral experience at the Berlin Philharmonie
Perform with us!
Project Schedule
March 20, 2027
Choir & Piano Rehearsal 1
15:00 – 17:30 Ernst-Reuter-Saal
Choir & Piano Rehearsal 2
18:30 – 20:30 Ernst-Reuter-Saal
Get-Together (tbd)
March 21, 2027
Choir & Piano Rehearsal 3
10:00 – 13:00 Ernst-Reuter-Saal
Choir & Piano Rehearsal 4
14:00 – 17:00 Ernst-Reuter-Saal
“Night of Choirs” Concert
20:00 – 21:30 Venue tbd
Participating choirs present solo showcases
March 22, 2027
Choir & Orchestra Rehearsal
18:30 – 21:30 Ernst-Reuter-Saal
March 23, 2027
Final Rehearsal
10:00 – 13:00 Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie Berlin
Warm-up and Stage Rehearsal
18:00 – 18:30 Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie Berlin
“Matthäus-Passion” Concert
19:00 – 22:00 Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie Berlin
Artistic Leadership
Joris Derder (Principal Conductor)
Joris Derder is a conductor, singer, teacher and composer from Ghent and has served as Musical Director of the Brussels Choral Society since January 2026. He began his musical training as a violinist in several youth orchestras before studying mathematics, followed by singing and choral conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, graduating with highest distinction. He further refined his artistry in masterclasses such as the Kurt Thomas Course. Founder of the Ghent University Choir, Kamerkoor Koriolis and Air4Six, he appears internationally as guest conductor. As a baritone, his repertoire ranges from Bach’s passions to major Romantic works, and he was a long-standing member of the Vlaams Radiokoor.
Take the stage with us
Register today
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any question or comments.