On 23 and 24 May 2026, the Elkamet Musikhalle in Dautphetal-Friedensdorf once again served as a concert venue and provided the festive finale to a long-standing festival.
The 34th Eckelshausen Music Festival came to a close with two impressive concert evenings at the Elkamet Music Hall in Dautphetal-Friedensdorf. On Saturday, May 23, 2026, and Sunday, May 24, 2026, the hall was once again transformed into a concert hall, providing the perfect setting for the conclusion of a festival that has been highly regarded far beyond the region for many years. For Friedensdorf, it was a weekend in which musical excellence and a sense of regional connection came together in a special way.
Saturday’s program was titled “From the Depths of Sound.” Julius Berger and Hyun-Jung Berger performed on the cello alongside the Kremerata Baltica. The program took the audience on a journey through diverse soundscapes and eras—from Arvo Pärt to Raminta Šerkšnytė, Jekabs Jančevskis, and Giovanni Bonato, and on to Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber and Luigi Boccherini. It was precisely this blend that made the evening an intense listening experience that lingered long afterward. On Sunday, “The Four Seasons” provided another highlight. Together with the Kremerata Baltica, Gidon Kremer on violin and Lukas Geniušas on piano headlined the second concert evening. The program featured works by Samuel Barber, Philip Glass, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Frédéric Chopin—a diverse selection that allowed room for both subtle nuances and grand musical arcs. Gidon Kremer’s performance was met with a standing ovation from the audience, enhanced by the special atmosphere of a balmy early summer evening.
With artists such as Gidon Kremer and ensembles like the Kremerata Baltica, it became clear once again just how much artistic quality and appeal the Eckelshausen Music Festival possesses. As a host and supporter with strong ties to the region, Elkamet is pleased to be able to provide a venue for cultural events of this caliber. The Elkamet Musikhalle thus represents not only a unique venue, but also the close connection between business, the region, and cultural life.
We would like to thank the organizers, the artists, and everyone who made both concert evenings possible. Special thanks go to Eckelshausener Musiktage e.V. for their organization and dedication, which bring this cultural highlight to the region.
