As part of the 4th International Organ Festival “Organs of St. Anastasia”, a concert will be held at St. Anastasia’s Cathedral in Zadar on Thursday, 15 July 2027, at 8 p.m., featuring one of the most distinguished young German organists and improvisers of today – Niklas Jahn.

Concert programme

J. S. Bach (1685. - 1750.)

Fantasie und Fuge in g-Moll BWV 542 (12:00 min)

Felix Mendelssohn B. (1809. – 1847.)

          II. Andante religioso

III. Allegretto

IV. Allegro maestoso e vivace

 aus: Sonate Nr. 4 in B-Dur (9:30 min)

Thierry Escaich (*1965.)

Clinq versets sur le „Victimae Paschali“ (9:30 min)

W. A. Mozart (1756. – 1791.)

Andante in F-Dur KV 616 (6:30 min)

Niklas Jahn (*1996.)

Improvisation on a given theme (8:00 min)

Claude Debussy (1862. – 1918.)

Clair de lune (Arr. Alexandre Cellier 6 min)

Louis Vierne (1870. – 1937.)

Symphonie No. 3 – V. Final (6:30 min)

https://niklas-jahn.de/

BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1996 in Fulda, Niklas Jahn belongs to a generation of young artists who continue the rich tradition of the German organ school while enriching it with a contemporary artistic approach and an exceptional gift for improvisation.

During his school years, he began his studies at the University of Music in Mainz as a young talent, where he studied artistic organ performance and organ improvisation with Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kaiser. From 2016 to 2021, he studied Church Music in Mainz, working with renowned professors of organ and conducting, before continuing his education at the University of Music in Freiburg.

There, he perfected his skills in artistic organ performance with Prof. Matthias Maierhofer and Prof. Vincent Dubois, as well as in liturgical organ playing and improvisation with Prof. David Franke. Alongside his organ studies, he additionally completed Master’s studies in organ improvisation and choral conducting. He is currently the first student in the history of the University of Music in Freiburg to simultaneously pursue two concert examinations – in artistic organ performance and organ improvisation.

An internationally acclaimed artist

Niklas Jahn is the recipient of numerous awards at prestigious international organ competitions. Among his most significant achievements are the First Prize at the 32nd St Albans International Organ Competition in the category of organ improvisation, the First Prize at the 9th Musashino-Tokyo International Organ Competition, including a recording contract, and the First Prize at the 13th International Organ Competition in Korschenbroich.

He was also a finalist at the 53rd Haarlem International Organ Improvisation Competition, one of the world’s most important competitions dedicated to this artistic discipline.

For his artistic achievements and his commitment to music and education, he has received several awards, including the Cultural Promotion Prize of the Rotary Club Mainz and the award of the Society for the Promotion of the University of Music Freiburg. He is a scholarship holder of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and the Helene Rosenberg Foundation.

The art of improvisation

A distinctive feature of Niklas Jahn’s artistic work is the combination of outstanding interpretation of the organ repertoire with an exceptional ability to improvise. In his concerts, he combines historical styles of organ improvisation with free and contemporary musical expression, creating unique moments that emerge through a direct dialogue between space, instrument and audience.

His improvisations are inspired by various artistic sources – from silent films, poetry and visual art to themes suggested by the audience. This openness and spontaneity give each of his concerts a special atmosphere and an unrepeatable character.

Concert and teaching activities

Niklas Jahn enjoys a rich international concert career, performing in countries including Japan, England, France, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and others.

Alongside his concert career, he is also active as a music educator. He has taught organ literature, liturgical organ playing and improvisation at higher music institutions in Saarbrücken, Freiburg and Weimar. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with numerous renowned church and concert institutions, including the cathedrals of Fulda and Mainz, as well as Freiburg Minster.

Since December 2024, he has served as organist at the renowned Frauenkirche Dresden, one of Europe’s most important sacred music venues.

Performance at St. Anastasia’s Cathedral

Niklas Jahn’s concert within the framework of the 4th International Organ Festival “Organs of St. Anastasia” will provide an opportunity to encounter an artist who views the organ as a living instrument of limitless expressive possibilities.

The audience at St. Anastasia’s Cathedral can look forward to an evening of outstanding interpretation, creative freedom and the art of improvisation – a meeting with a musician who connects the tradition of organ heritage with personal artistic inspiration and the power of the present moment.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing a memorable musical experience in the unique atmosphere of St. Anastasia’s Cathedral in Zadar.