Stras'Orgues - Festival of Organs of Strasbourg

Stras'Orgues: Discovering exceptional sonic heritage

Alsace is the land of the organ par excellence. Strasbourg alone is home to about fifteen remarkable instruments spanning six centuries of organ building, from the famous Silbermann organ in Notre-Dame Cathedral to the contemporary instruments in neighborhood churches. This heritage, incomparable in both quantity and quality, makes the Alsatian capital a major center of global organ culture.

The Stras'Orgues festival, created in 2017 under the artistic direction of Damien Simon, titular organist of the cathedral and Saint-Paul church, aims to introduce this instrument, its repertoire, and its world to the widest possible audience.

A week of musical immersion

For a week at the end of August, Stras'Orgues offers an eclectic program of over 20 events — midday concerts, evening recitals, aperitif concerts, and dinner concerts — in about ten churches and chapels in Strasbourg and its region. Open organ lofts allow the public to go up to the organ, observe the instrument up close, and interact with organists and organ builders.

Unusual musical walks

One of the festival's signatures is its organ-to-organ walks: on foot, by bike, or on rollerblades, festival-goers travel through the streets of Strasbourg from one instrument to another, discovering a different sonic aesthetic at each stop. These fun and educational tours link architectural heritage, instrument making, and musical repertoire.

World-renowned organists

Each edition hosts leading organists from all over Europe — conservatory professors, titular organists of major churches, virtuosos in residence — alongside young talents and unprecedented collaborations mixing organ and percussion, voice, silent film concerts, or improvisation. The festival also includes visits to organ building workshops, particularly in Monswiller and Haguenau, revealing the behind-the-scenes of this exceptional craft.

An accessible and convivial festival

True to its spirit of openness, Stras'Orgues combines demanding concerts with moments of sharing — musical breakfasts at Saint-Paul, aperitif concerts in neighborhood churches, giant screen broadcasts at the cathedral. The festival is aimed at both discerning music lovers and neophytes curious to discover the majesty and diversity of the organ.