Ticket sales open for the Vokalhelden Annual Concert
Vokalhelden Jahreskonzert 2026 - Sea of Colors
Together with the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Vokalhelden invite you to their Annual Concert, celebrating diversity and the joy of singing together. Singers aged 7 to 19 will present a vibrant program of pop songs, contemporary choral compositions, and arrangements. The Jugendchor (Youth Choir) will offer a musical glimpse into the emotional world of teenagers and young adults with songs about love, trust, and crises.
The Vokalhelden Annual Concert 2026 is supported by the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten (German collecting society for performing artists and producers).
FSJ Culture
The Vokalhelden are offering a position within the Voluntary Social Year in Culture (FSJ Kultur). Apply until March 15 for the term running from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027.
Are you interested in music and eager to work with children? Would you like a behind-the-scenes look at a children's and youth choir programme?
Here you can find further information and the registration form.
Child protection concept development
Child protection has been an important issue for the Vokalhelden e.V. since its founding. Thanks to funding from the Federal Association for Cultural Education of Children and the Youth (BKJ) within the framework of "Start2Act," a comprehensive risk and potential analysis has now been carried out, the results of which will be incorporated into the new safeguarding policy. More information will be available soon. For questions regarding the development of our child protection concept, please contact the child protection officer Annika Schwerdt.
Registration opens for the Vokalhelden sing-along concert
Teachers and choir directors of school choirs can now register for the sing-along concert as part of the Berliner Philharmoniker's youngSTAR Festival. We recommend the concert for school classes in grades 2 to 5.
The participating teachers receive materials in advance for rehearsals in the classrooms.
The Vocals at the "Berliner Chorftreff"
The Vocals, our new ensemble founded in 2024, took part in the Berliner Chortreff at Heimathafen Neukölln in October 2025 and won 1st prize with admittance to the German Choir Competition 2027.
We congratulate the young singers and sincerely thank the Bundesverband Musik und Orchester for supporting the start of the ensemble in 2024/25.
December 3 concert update
The Advent performance featuring a reading by Iris Berben with musical accompaniment by the Vokalhelden, scheduled for December 3rd, was unfortunately cancelled by the organizer.
In its place, we will host a concert and Christmas carol singing on the same day at the Werkstatt of the EUREF Campus. You are invited to listen and join in the singing!
Find more information about the program and ticketing here.
New music theatre in Neukölln
If you are between 12 and 18 years old, have already gained some choral experience, and ideally sing tenor or bass, you can participate in this project. Together with the Vokalhelden from Level 2 and the Jugendchor (Youth Choir), you will become part of the choir!
Holiday workshop: October 27th - 30th from 12-4 pm at the Deutsches Chorzentrum in Berlin-Neukölln.
Further dates:
- November 21 (7 PM tbc): Dress rehearsal
- November 22 (7 PM tbc): Dress rehearsal
- November 23 (7 PM tbc): Performance at CANK Neukölln as part of the Berlin Festival for Contemporary Music Theatre.
Registration opens for the 2026 sing-along concert
Registration is now open for the next Vokalhelden sing-along concert for school classes in cooperation with the Berliner Philharmoniker! The concerts will take place on February 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM in the Philharmonie Berlin's Great Hall. Due to the selection of songs, we recommend this sing-along concert for grades 2 through 5. Admission is free.
The registration deadline is October 5, 2025.
Find further information and register
here.
Season review 2024/2025
A full season of musical encounters has come to an end. We would like to thank all our cooperation partners and organizations that made the numerous projects and activities possible for over 5,000 children and young people in Berlin: Stiftung am Grunewald
Spendenfonds Schöneberg-Nord, Kultur macht stark - Musik für alle, Stiftung Rotary Club Berlin, Lions Club Berlin-Dahlem, Aktion Mensch, Amateurmusikfonds, Chorverband Berlin.
And we thank our location partners: Stadtschloss Moabit - Moabiter Ratschlag, KOMPASS-Haus im Stadtteil, Neumark-Grundschule, Hugo-Heimann-Grundschule, Bolle-Grundschule, Spreewald-Grundschule.
Upcoming performances and concerts
The Vokalhelden will perform three times at the Fête de la Musique on June 21st. For example, they will be performing at the Jesu-Christus-Kirche in Dahlem with the guest choir Ragazzi Boys Chorus. Tickets are now also available for the youth choir concert "Reel Love" on July 19th at Villa Elisabeth.
You can find all performances and dates at the calendar.
Volunteers wanted
We are looking for volunteer backstage heroes!
Support the Vokalhelden at rehearsals, concerts or school workshops and become part of a musical community.
All you need to bring is a love of working with children, an interest in music, a willingness to work in a team, and to apply for an extended certificate of good conduct.
Whether you're young or old, are you interested in joining us? Then get in touch with us via
Mail.
FSJ Culture
The Vokalhelden are offering a position within the Voluntary Social Year in Culture (FSJ Kultur). You can apply for a position from September 1st, 2025 to August 31st, 2026 until March 15th.
Would you like to take a look behind the scenes of a children's and youth choir program? Are you interested in music and working with children?
Further information and the registration form are available here.
Registrations for the next sing-along concert
The next sing-along concert as part of the youngSTAR Festival will take place on June 20th at 10 am in the Great Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin.
Registrations are no longer possible.
10. Sing-along concert for school classes
On January 17th, in cooperation with the Berliner Philharmoniker , we celebrated our tenth Vokalhelden sing-along concert under the patronage of Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch.
On two occasions, 2,000 children visited the Great Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin to sing songs in German, English, Turkish, Spanish and even Finnish with the vocal heroes.
They were accompanied by a band with Peter Schindler (piano), Arne Jansen (guitar), Mark Wyand (flute, clarinet, saxophone), Franz Schindlbeck (drums) and Piotr Zimnik (double bass).
The concerts were conducted by Johannes David Wolff and Victor Sepúlveda Rodriguez.
Thanks to the support of the Stiftung am Grunewald, we were able to hold a second concert at 12 noon. offer.
Funding from the Stiftung am Grunewald
We are very pleased that the Stiftung am Grunewald will be funding several of our projects in 2025.
In times when public funds are scarce and especially when cultural education and participation are disproportionately affected by cuts, we are grateful for this form of private commitment, without which we could not continue our work in this form.
Full commitment to equal opportunities and participation for children, young people, and senior citizens. Alongside the Vokalhelden, the Grunewald Foundation will support the following projects next year:
🎶 Sing-along concert for school classes on January 17, 2025: Over 4,000 children will come together for a joint sing-along in two concerts in the Great Hall of the Philharmonie, accompanied by a band with members of the Berlin Philharmonic and guests.
🎶 Vocal Heroes Annual Concert: Over 200 children and young people will be on stage in the chamber music hall under the motto "Voices of the Future" and will demonstrate the integrative power of music.
🎶 Vocal Heroes Hellersdorf: For ten years, the Vocal Heroes, in cooperation with KOMPASS - Haus im Stadtteil and FiPP eV, have been bringing music to Hellersdorf. Recently, they have also partnered with the neighboring Hollerbusch Elementary School. The foundation supports the school to ensure that all children continue to have free access to singing.
🎶Dementia-sensitive singing: Launched in 2024 as a pilot project, we are pleased to announce that we can continue dementia-sensitive singing in senior care facilities next year as well: Intergenerational singing with positive effects on people with dementia.
Support us!
Every week, more than 450 children and young people in 12 choirs experience how music connects and builds bridges, regardless of their origin, financial resources, or language. To continue providing all children and young people with access to singing, we rely on your support.
With your donation or a supporting membership, you will help to accompany the Vokalhelden on their journey and to make this valuable experience possible for many more children and young people.
Donate now by Transfer or PayPal and help us bring even more music to the city.
Sung Memories - Continuation
The last event with Judith Kamphues will take place on Wednesday, December 11th at the Johannisstift Diakonie in Wedding. As part of the project, Vokalhelden from various locations regularly visited the day care center for elderly to sing and chat with the guests.
The project was a pilot project, funded as part of the “Nationale Demenzstrategie” by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Federal Ministry of Health.
A songbook documenting the project and inspiring and encouraging others to follow suit is currently in production.
We are very pleased that the Stiftung am Grunewald will finance and secure the continuation of the project in 2025.
ImproLab: Vokalhelden Autumn Workshop
Discovery and play with voice and music:
From October 29th to 31st, the Vokalhelden will offer a singing and improvisation workshop for children aged 9 to 12 as part of the Jazzfest Moabit.
Together with choir director Judith Kamphues and improvisation artist Sarah Rossy, the children are given the opportunity to express themselves creatively and to rediscover their voices.
Neighborhood award for the Vokalhelden
This year's Kiezmacher Award in the "Cultural Heroes" category goes to the Vokalhelden!
The prize honors voluntary commitment in the neighborhood by people and initiatives from Marzahn-Hellersdorf.
We are absolutely delighted to receive this award and thank you for the appreciation and recognition of our work.
The next sing-along concerts are scheduled for January.
On January 17, 2025, there will again be two sing-along concerts for school classes (grades 2-5) in cooperation with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
This time, over 6,000 students and accompanying adults have registered. The Vokalhelden will sing both modern and traditional songs in Spanish, Finnish, Turkish, English and German together with the school classes.
Sung Memories - A Cross-Generational Project
In July, several vocal talents from Moabit visited the Diakonie Johannisstift Wedding day care center for the second time as part of the "Sung Memories" project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Under the direction of Judith Kamphues, the center's common room was transformed into a choir rehearsal space for just over an hour. They sang familiar folk songs, evening hymns, as well as lesser-known pieces and learned new songs and movements, with the aim of evoking memories and fostering intergenerational exchange.
The reactions of the day visitors: “So much is coming back. I was suddenly somewhere else, in my youth, and I'm dancing.”
"This must not be lost, the singing together, the sharing. It is something very special that unites us all."
"Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher"
Honegger's recording of "Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher" can be viewed in the Digital Concert Hall archive ("The highlight of the evening, however, was the Vokalheld children's choir.... It has been a long time since a children's choir has performed at such a magnificent level." Andreas Göbel, Radio 3)
Berlin Philharmonic
Alan Gilbert, conductor
Marion Cotillard, spokesperson
Christian Gonon, Spokesperson
Vocal Heroes Children's Choir
MDR Radio Choir
The next sing-along concerts are coming up.
On June 10th, two sing-along concerts for school classes (grades 2-5) will take place as part of the Berlin Philharmonic's youngSTAR Festival, accompanied by a band comprised of Berlin Philharmonic members and guest musicians. The program will focus on European music, featuring songs from Lithuania, Spain, England, and Germany. A special guest will be accordionist Martynas Levickis, who - as the Vokalhelden - received an OPUS KLASSIK award in 2023. Martynas has arranged a Lithuanian piece for the Vokalhelden, which will premiere on June 10th! The concerts are supported by the Lithuanian Cultural Institute.
Registrations for the next sing-along concert are now possible.
The next sing-along concert as part of the youngSTAR Festival will take place on June 10th in the Great Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin. There will be two concerts, one at 10:00 AM and one at 12:00 PM. The 10:00 AM concert is already sold out, but there is a waiting list. Tickets are still available for the 12:00 PM concert.
Further information and registration
"over and over, vorbei nicht vorbei"
The Youth Choir of the Vokalhelden will perform in February in the contemporary music theatre production "over and over vorbei nicht vorbei" by the Komische Oper Berlin as part of the "Schall und Rausch" festival at Heimathafen in Neukölln. The composition explores the process of remembering in the USA and Germany and asks how the younger generation deals with history. The premiere is on February 9, 2024. Further performances: February 11, 12, 17, and 18.
Music: Ted Hearne, Director: Daniel Fish
Vokalhelden at BER Airport
On December 20, 2023, at 2 PM, the Vokalhelden (Vocal Heroes) will perform at Terminal 1 of BER Airport at the invitation of Jocelyn B. Smith and her choir "Different Voices of Berlin," under the motto "Every voice is welcome," to send a message of humanity, diversity, and openness. Jocelyn B. Smith is a member of the Vokalhelden board of trustees. She has lived and worked in Berlin for many years, has given more than 3,000 live concerts, and has received numerous awards for her social commitment, including the Federal Cross of Merit.
Photo: Anikka Bauer / Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) GmbH
A second Sing-along concert in January!
Over 4,000 students were registered for the Vokalhelden sing-along concert in cooperation with the Berliner Philharmoniker on January 19, 2024, in the Philharmonie Berlin's Great Hall. We are delighted that, thanks to the support of the Stiftung am Grunewald, we can now offer a second sing-along concert on the same day, one at 10:00 a.m. and one at 12:00 p.m. A few tickets are still available for the 12:00 p.m. concert.
OPUS KLASSIK Award Ceremony and Gala
On October 7th and 8th, the Vokalhelden were awarded the OPUS KLASSIK Prize for Promotion Young Talent (child and youth work). First at the concert in the Elisabethkirche and then at the grand gala in the Konzerthaus Berlin.
Many thanks to the jury chaired by Dr. Kerstin Schüssler-Bach, and to the Berliner Philharmoniker, who founded the program ten years ago on the initiative of Sir Simon Rattle and Simon Halsey and continue to support it to this day.
Photos: Monique Wüstenhagen / Markus Nass, OPUS Klassik
Nomination for the German Engagement Award
The Vokalhelden are nominated for the German Engagement Prize. Online voting for the Audience Award runs until October 24th. You can vote here for the Vokalhelden for the audience award, which comes with a prize of 10,000 euros.
An OPUS KLASSIK for the Vokalhelden
This year's OPUS KLASSIK award in the category of young talent promotion goes to the Vokalhelden!
This prize is awarded to a project that makes an exceptional contribution to promoting the activities of children and young people in the field of classical music.
We are absolutely delighted to receive this award and thank you for the appreciation and recognition of our work.
Start of the advisory board
We are delighted about the newly founded advisary board which supports the Vokalhelden in their activities and further development.bThe board includes Simon Halsey, Sir Simon Rattle, Thomas Quasthoff, Jocelyn B. Smith, Juliane Banse, Dr. Claudia Schmidt-Matthiesen, Sagithjan Surendra and Ralf Schmitz.
Pictured from left: Salome Beber (Managing Director), Johannes David Wolff (Artistic Director), Andreas Richter (Chairman of the Board), Simon Halsey, Jocelyn B. Smith, Thomas Quasthoff, Udo Marin (Board Member), Cornelia Gartemann (Member of the Berliner Philharmoniker).
Youth Choir Concerts: BURNING PLANET
Hot summers, storms, and threatening floods. Nature and the changing seasons no longer just evoke feelings of vacation, but also existential anxieties. In their program "Burning Planet," the youth choir of the Vokalhelden explores this development musically and lyrically, using Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's "Abschied vom Walde" (Farewell to the Forest), Lili Boulanger's "Hymne au soleil" (Hymn to the Sun), and songs by Billie Eilish, Dota, and 2Raumwohnung.
Concerts on July 8th and 9th, 2023 at Kunstquartier Bethanien.
Choir encounter: Vokalhelden Youth Choir
and Ndlovu Youth Choir from South Africa
Five days full of music, exchange and learning.
This was the encounter with the South African Ndlovu Youth Choir. Following a joint workshop, the highlight was a performance at the Brandenburg Gate as part of the Special Olympics, and the grand finale was a joint performance at the youngSTAR Festival.
Sing-along concert 2023 at the Philharmonie!
More than 2,000 primary school children attended the youngSTAR Festival of the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Great Hall of Philharmonie Berlin on June 20th to sing together with the Vokalhelden. Special thanks go to all the teachers who rehearsed the songs with their classes.
The guest ensemble was the Ndlovu Youth Choir with a captivating South African improvisation.
It was a blast!
Education Festival Schöneberg
Neighborhood festival! The Schöneberg Vokalhelden performed at the education festival in the Pallashöfe courtyards of the Pallasseum. First, the youngest group, led by Liza John and with Noel Klimas on piano, took the stage. Later, Level 1 performed with Johannes David Wolff and Peter Schindler on piano.
The performance is supported as part of the nationwide program NEUSTART AMATEURMUSIK.
Neighbors' Festival in Moabit
The youngest members of the children's choir made their debut performance at the neighborhood festival in the courtyard of Moabit Stadtschloss, led by Christiane Hiemsch. Level 1, with Judith Kamphues and accompanied by Lidia Kalendareva on piano, gave a first taste of the songs that will be performed at the sing-along concert on June 20th at the Philharmonie.
The performance is supported as part of the nationwide program NEUSTART AMATEURMUSIK.
Spring singing of the Minis Moabit
We're opening the doors of our rehearsal space and inviting you to the spring sing-along of the Vokalhelden Minis, our children's choir for the youngest residents of Moabit, on Tuesday, April 25th, from 3:30 to 4:00 PM in the activity room of the Stadtschloss Moabit. Interested parents and children can get a taste of the Vokalhelden atmosphere at this open rehearsal!
The Minis Moabit are supported by a project grant from "Kultur macht stark - Musik für alle".
Vokalhelden at the Märkisches Viertel
The turnout for the first taster session at the Peckwisch primary school was huge: 50 children signed up. Christiane Hiemsch (choir director) and Artschi Loyan (piano) started with 26 of them. After the Easter holidays, the children will rehearse every Friday. Children in grades 1-3 are welcome to participate. The project is funded by "Kultur macht stark - Musik für alle" in cooperation with the Märkisches Viertel Education Network.
Berlin, let's sing!
We are delighted to receive funding by NEUSTART AMATEURMUSIK for our project "Let's sing!". As part of the project, singers of our Level 2 group are developing new pieces and pop arrangements, including a rehearsal weekend in Wandlitz. And we invite you to sing along: at our upcoming performances and on social media. We'll keep you updated here, on Facebook, Instagram, and via our newsletter!
Vocal Heroes Sing-Along Concert 2023
We have received over 3,000 registrations for the Vokalhelden sing-along concert for school classes on June 20, 2023, at 11:00 AM as part of the youngSTAR Festival of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Acceptance and rejection letters have been sent out. There is a waiting list in case tickets are returned.
Further information is available here.
New song for climate protection
The vocal group "Die Vokalhelden" have recorded a song with singer Ben Blümel for the nationwide Energy Saving Competition: "We are loud and we won't get any quieter" – this is how they describe the many thousands of children and young people who are campaigning for climate protection at schools. The song can be heard here.
Award for intercultural dialogue
The Vokalhelden choir received the Pill Mayer Foundation's award for intercultural dialogue for their children's choir work. The foundation recognizes exemplary cultural projects that promote intercultural dialogue. Another award winner this year is the Open Piano Class project from Friedrichshafen.
Further information about the price is here to find.
We are delighted to receive this award!
Discover singing in Berlin-Moabit
The program for first and second grade children, which was launched in 2022, will continue to be supported by "Kultur macht stark - Musik für alle" in 2023. In cooperation with the Quartiersmanagement Beusselstraße and Stadtschloss Moabit, the children learn their first songs in the children's choir, participate in singing games, simple rhythmic improvisations, and body percussion. The goal is to playfully introduce children to the fundamentals of vocal training and musicality.
There are still places available. Registration is required. here possible.
D-level training in choral singing
In a pilot project in cooperation with the German Choir Youth Association (Deutsche Chorjugend), 15 young members of the youth choir acquired practical and theoretical singing skills as part of the so-called D-level training in choral singing. At the end, they passed an exam in the areas of vocal practice, vocal training, rhythm and ear training, and music theory. The D-level training enables participants to use their voices competently.
More information about the D-level training in choral singing can be found on the website of the German Choir Youth Association.
