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Academy

The Contius Foundation organises an Academy each year at which promising and talented organists are immersed in a specific repertoire for their instrument. They are coached by the best European and American organists and organ teachers such as Léon Berben, Kimberly Marshall, Maude Gratton, Benjamin Steens, Jeremy Joseph, and many others. The 2025 edition will take place from July 3 to 12 in Leuven and you can register for either one or both sessions. This academy is also a perfect opportunity to prepare on the Contius and other historical organs for the ECHO competition that takes place in July 2026 in Leuven.

Contius Bach Academy in 2025: J.S. Bach and the North-German composers

Session 1: 3 to 8 July

Teachers: Kimberly Marshall (USA, organ), Benjamin Steens (BE/FR, organ & clavichord), Léon Berben (NED/GER, organ), Bernard Foccroulle (BE, organ)

Repertoire:

  • Kimberly Marshall: J.P. Sweelinck and his North-German students, e.g. Onder een Linde groen (J.P. Sweelinck), Toccata in C 1 (first piece in Lynar MS A1) (J.P. Sweelinck)
  • Benjamin Steens: H. Scheidemann, N. Bruhns and J.S. Bach (organ) and Scheidemann, Buxtehude, Böhm and Bach (clavichord), e.g. Magnificat Sexti Toni (H. Scheidemann), Choral Partita Ach, Wie nichtig, ach, wie flüchtig (on clavichord) (G. Böhm)
  • Léon Berben: D. Buxtehude, V. Lübeck and J.S. Bach, e.g. Praeambulum ex a, BuxWV 158 & Praeludium ex g, BuxWV 163 (D. Buxtehude), Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ, LübWV 13 (V. Lübeck)
  • Bernard Foccroulle: M. Weckmann, D. Buxtehude and J.S. Bach, e.g. Magnificat II. Toni (M. Weckmann), Fantasia & fugue in g, BWV 542 (J.S. Bach)

Other pieces by these composers are welcome too!

Final concert: Tuesday 8 July at 20.00 at the St. Michiel Peace Church

Session 2: 8 to 12 July

Teachers: Maude Gratton (FR, organ), Jeremy Joseph (South Africa/Austria, organ), Wim Winters (BE, organ & clavichord), Bernard Foccroulle (BE, organ)

Repertoire:

  • Maude Gratton: N. Bruhns, J.S. Bach, e.g. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (N. Bruhns)
  • Jeremy Joseph: N. Bruhns, J.S. Bach, e.g. Praeludium in G and Praeludium in e (great)
  • Wim Winters: F. Tunder, J.S. Bach, e.g. Inventions n°1 (or 7, 8, 11) (J.S. Bach) (clavichord), Christ lag in Todesbanden (F. Tunder)
  • Bernard Foccroulle: D. Buxtehude and J.S. Bach, e.g. Fantasia sopra Gelobet seist du, Herr Jesu Christ (D. Buxtehude, J.S. Bach)

Other pieces by these composers are welcome too!

Final concert: Friday 11 July at 20.00 at the St. Michiel Peace Church

 

Participation

The participation fee is:

  • € 300 for one session (includes free entrance to all festival concerts)
  • € 400 for both sessions (includes free entrance to all festival concerts)

Registration deadline: May 31st using this form.

Access to all the concerts and the symposium organised during the Contius Bach Festival is free of charge.

For accommodation, we offer the possibility of finding a host family during your stay but based on a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to organists coming from a foreign country. If you prefer another type of accommodation (hotel, youth hostel, etc), this is at your own expense.

Daily meals and travels are at the cost and the responsibility of the participant.

This academy will be a perfect opportunity to prepare the ECHO competition that takes place on the Contius and other historical organs in July 2026 in Leuven.

Participate