Nights in Thuringia
Jazz Festival at the Sendehalle in Weimar featuring international lineups
For three days, the Sendehalle on Humboldtstraße transforms into Weimar’s most sought-after jazz club. The third edition of the “Nights in Thuringia” jazz festival isn’t just focused on student projects: In addition to many master’s and bachelor’s concerts, the extensive program running from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. each day also features guest performances by faculty members from the Department of New Music and Jazz, who will perform with their international ensembles. Admission to all acts is free!
The opening act of the festivalon Friday, July 3 at 4:30 p.m.—the multi-award-winning Dell-Lillinger-Westergaard Trio—is a great opportunity to experience the unique acoustics of the historic Sendesaal at the Sendehalle. That same evening will feature performances by jazz trumpeter Chris Mehler’s Traditional Ensemble, the Berlin-based trio TSE with their jazz fusion and modern groove aesthetic, the “Mangelsdorff Quintologue” ensemble, as well as original compositions and improvisations by Christian Schmidt.
The Saturday program on July 4 kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with the SeaM Ensemble, whose music blends jazz and electroacoustic music. The program continues with a duo featuring jazz saxophonist Silke Eberhardt and Weimar jazz piano professor Achim Kaufmann. Next up is “The ultra-famous University of Music-Weimar Electric-Guitar-Ensemble,” followed by two creative bachelor’s degree recitals.
Singer Helena Jensch and her band will open the jazz festival on Sunday, July 5 at 4:00 p.m. with a blend of neo-soul and pop; then the Basic Ensemble led by jazz bassist Matthias Eichhorn will perform jazz standards and other pieces. Another jazz singer, Veronika Sukhomlinova, will then take the stage with her band.
The “Nights in Thuringia” festival concludes on Sunday evening with a duo and a quartet led by pianist Jonas Funk, featuring Afro-Cuban and Latin grooves, among other styles, as well as the Eric Dolphy Ensemble. Between acts, the audience can enjoy the atmosphere in the foyer or on the terrace of the Sendehalle—with a breathtaking view of Weimar.
[24 June 2026]