NOW! Festival for New Music to debut in Essen in 2026

The NOW! Festival for New Music is scheduled to take place from October 24 to November 7, 2026, in Essen, Germany. Organized by the Philharmonie Essen in collaboration with the Folkwang University of the Arts, the Landesmusikrat NRW, and the Gesellschaft für Neue Musik Ruhr e. V., the festival focuses on the theme of ‘Transcendence’.

The event aims to explore spiritual soundscapes and musical boundaries through 13 distinct events, including orchestral concerts, spatial sound experiences, workshops, and performances. The program features six world premieres, one German premiere, and various modern classics. The festival is supported by the Kunststiftung NRW, the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung.