Classical music
Classical concerts are given in churches and the Stadtcasino, the central concert hall in Basel. It was built in 1876 and has an excellent sound for all kinds of music. Besides high-class local orchestras and chamber groups, among them the Basel Symphony Orchestra and the Basel Sinfonietta, international orchestras and soloists also regularly perform there. The Musikakademie (College of Music) has an excellent reputation and runs its own concert hall. A large part of the classical music scene is funded by the Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft (AMG), founded in 1876. The Paul Sacher Stiftung in Basel is home to one of the largest collections of autographs, including works by Strawinsky among others.
Jazz, Rock & Pop
There are several jazz clubs and festivals, featuring all kinds of styles, from Dixie to Swing and avantgarde jazz. The Basel Jazz School is part of the Musikakademie. For lovers of rock and pop music there are several smaller venues in the inner city, several clubs, the former military barracks in Kleinbasel (Kaserne), and the socalled Konzertfabrik Z7 in nearby Pratteln. Large events with 50’000 people are hosted at the St. Jakob Park. The music scene in Basel is lively and broad, with over 300 bands playing everything from Rock to Techno to Hip Hop.
Festivals
Festivals in Basel will bring you everything, from world stars to hidden gems of all musical genres. While classical and jazz festivals are held mainly indoors, rock and pop bands like to play outdoors, and the city becomes their stage. A highlight certainly is the international crossover Stimmenfestival in Lörrach, Germany: The top acts perform on central Markplatz, in the parks and smaller clubs of the region choirs and folk bands from all over the world perform in a more intimate setting. At the Jugendkulturfestival the very young take over the city. During one weekend in June young bands and dance groups show what they have achieved in weeks of practice.
