Peter Kofler opens the Munich Organ Autumn at St. Michael
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Peter Kofler opens the Munich Organ Autumn with musical force
On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Peter Kofler will open the 18th Munich Organ Autumn at the Jesuit Church of St. Michael. The concert at the Rieger organ combines baroque mastery, French timbres, modern organ language, and a world premiere into an extraordinary concert experience in Munich's Old Town.
Between Bach and the Present
The program features works by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, and Enjott Schneider. The contemporary highlight is Schneider's 18th Organ Symphony Cosmic Circle, which will have its world premiere at this concert. This creates a musical arc from the contrapuntal precision of the Renaissance and Baroque to a richly colored sound language of the present.
The Rieger Organ as the Sound Center
Peter Kofler will shape the evening at the four-manual Rieger organ of St. Michael. The instrument allows for an authentic interpretation of a wide-ranging repertoire and also provides the sonic foundation for great dynamic tensions, finely graduated register colors, and precise orchestral sound effects. In the acoustics of the Jesuit Church, every chord unfolds spatial depth, while the conducting at the console is in immediate synchronization with the architecture of the church space.
Experiencing Music Visibly
Concertgoers will not only hear the sound of the organ but will also gain insights into the stage performance: The happenings on the gallery will be transmitted to a large screen in the church nave during the organ concerts. This video transmission makes the playing technique, registration, and the expressive work of the organist comprehensible even from within the church space.
Peter Kofler and the Munich Organ Autumn
Peter Kofler is the organist at the Jesuit Church of St. Michael and also the initiator and artistic director of the international Munich Organ Autumn. The festival in 2026 spans a bridge between classical masterpieces, contemporary composition, and improvised organ art. Kofler's musical work is closely associated with the Rieger organ; a recording of his organ cycle was awarded Editor's Choice by the British music magazine Gramophone.
Conclusion: An Opening Concert with Special Reverberation
The organ concert by Peter Kofler promises an intense live atmosphere between sacred architecture, vibrant sound colors, and captivating audience mood. Those who wish to experience organ music in its historical depth and contemporary breadth will find here an impressive start to the Munich Organ Autumn. Doors open at 3:30 PM, and the concert begins at 4:00 PM.
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