German classical music festivals highlight emerging talent in 2026

The Schleswig‑Holstein Music Festival opened on 16 July 2026 in the historic Bordesholmer Klosterkirche. Award‑winning cellist Anastasia Kobekina, a 2024 Leonard Bernstein Award laureate, performed barefoot with a string quintet led by Alexander Glasunow, playing Schubert’s String Quintet in A‑major and C‑major.

A week later, the Carl Flesch Academy concluded its 2026 season in Baden‑Baden. The academy presented five prize‑winners – Fabian Johannes Strnad (cello), Lara Eberitzsch (violin), Yun‑Ju Lee (violin), Hana Rabadan (cello) and Sophie Branson (violin) – each receiving monetary awards and engagements with the Philharmonie Baden‑Baden. The prizes, sponsored by local Lions clubs and cultural foundations, underscore the academy’s role in fostering young classical musicians in Germany.