Black Forest Voices: A Village Sounds - and Sings!
From 12 to 15 June 2025: Four days of music, encounters and enthusiasm – the vocal festival in Kirchzarten combines international vocal voices with local passion.
What is happening in Kirchzarten in mid-June? Anyone strolling through the grounds around the Talvogtei during this time will hear it from everywhere: voices, singing, laughter – the sounds of the Black Forest Voices (BFV) festival. From Thursday, the 12th to Sunday, the 15th of June, Kirchzarten will once again be transformed into a vibrant stage for vocal diversity. The four-day festival has long been more than an insider tip in the German vocal scene: it is a platform for togetherness, listening and shared sound.
More than music: an idea lives on
The roots of the festival lie in a vision – and in a life story. Tobias Hug from Kirchzarten, who went to London after graduating from Marie-Curie-Gymnasium and became an internationally renowned singer and a member of the world-famous The Swingle Singers, developed the idea of an open, inspiring festival of voices in his home town. After his return from London and after eleven years as a bass on international stages, he brought the festival to life for the first time in 2019 with the support of many companions. (→ Interview with his mother Margot Hug: „I expressed serious concerns...")
After Hug's early death in January 2020, his idea remained alive. Despite pandemic challenges, Black Forest Voices continued digitally as a ‘Web.stival’ in the summer of 2020 and in 2021 in hybrid form. Since 2022, the festival has been taking place in full presence again – with growing resonance and a strong community of artists, helpers, supporters and an enthusiastic audience.
Sound Diversity - Open to All
The programme of Black Forest Voices appeals not only to musical professionals, but to everyone who enjoys singing and musical encounters. Whether it's an open-air concert or a free sing-along format, a workshop for beginners or in-depth sessions for experienced choirs - the festival offers space for every voice. The organisers place particular value on exchange: between amateurs and professionals, between generations and cultures, between local ensembles and international national guests.
A Festival for Kirchzarten – With Kirchzarten
Proximity to the region is an integral part of the concept. Events are organised in cooperation with local musicians, associations and cultural institutions. The festival lives from its roots in the town – and from the openness of the people who support it. For all those who don't just want to listen, but want to take part themselves, the extensive workshop programme offers numerous opportunities for active participation. Anyone who simply wants to visit the festival meadow with its delicious food and drink offerings (→ Article ‘Dorfhock in Kirchzarten’) or enjoy a free concert (→ Article ‘Sound of Kirchzarten – Alltagsorte werden Klangorte’) is also welcome.
Kirchzarten Sounds – and Everyone Is Invited
Talvogtei, Schalampi, Seniorenzentrum or St.-Gallus-Kirche: the whole of Kirchzarten becomes a sound space. The festival offers tickets for every interest – from festival tickets and day tickets to individual tickets. Black Forest Voices is more than just a music event. It is a place to meet , a stage for ideas, an invitation to come together – and a sounding memorial to its founder.