Three charity concerts in 2026
For a new organ sound in Riga
23 April · 7 pm · Dorfkirche Schönefeld
3 June · 7:30 pm · Pfarrkirche Pankow
14 June · 17 pm · Heilandskirche Sacrow
For a new organ sound in Riga
23 April · 7 pm · Dorfkirche Schönefeld
3 June · 7:30 pm · Pfarrkirche Pankow
14 June · 17 pm · Heilandskirche Sacrow
As explained on our website, the Förderverein Orgel Dom Riga e.V. is committed to ensuring that a new Baroque organ, modelled on the work of Heinrich Andreas Contius (1708–1795), can be built in Riga Cathedral. Conceived as a ‘Bach organ’, it is intended to serve as a Baroque counterpart to the famous Romantic Walcker organ – and to enrich Riga with a further, authentic sonic world. This instrument is intended to be more than just a new build: it is to be a distinct Baroque sound centre – transparent, lively and stylistically convincing, built with modern precision and closely modelled on historical examples.
To this end, the Friends’ Association is inviting the public to three benefit concerts in spring/summer 2026 in churches featuring organs from Kristian Wegscheider’s Dresden workshop. The venues have been chosen deliberately: here, one can experience how carefully crafted organ sound fills a space – and at the same time gain an impression of the high standards with which the project in Riga Cathedral is progressing.
The concert series combines masterful performance with a personal approach to the instrument: renowned organists will shape the evenings together with dedicated students from the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). In this way, experience meets fresh curiosity – and the audience experiences the organ as a living concert instrument, not as a distant ‘monument’.
And because such projects thrive on encounters, Kristian Wegscheider will be present in person – as his schedule permits. He will provide first-hand accounts of construction principles, tonal objectives and the current state of work at Riga Cathedral – vividly, clearly and right at the heart of the action.
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847) – Orgelsonate Nr. 1, op. 65
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) – aus: 6 Studien in kanonischer Form, op. 56, Nr. 4 Innig
Johann Sebastian Bach – Adagio d-Moll,
Bearbeitung nach dem 1. Satz der Sonate für Violine solo g-Moll BWV
Fuge d-Moll BWV 539/2 nach dem 2. Satz (Allegro)
Johann Sebastian Bach – Präludium und Fuge; E-Dur; BWV 566
Dieterich Buxtehude - Präludium ex g, BuxWV 148
Admission is free. Donations towards the international organ project are welcome!
Having completed her bachelor’s degree in Korea, she is currently studying for a master’s degree in organ at the Berlin University of the Arts under Prof. Henry Fairs. In 2024, she performed at the 22nd Organ Debut Concert for New Artists in Seoul and has since appeared regularly in concerts in Korea and Germany, including at the Pauluskirche Zehlendorf, the Luisenkirche and now at the Dorfkirche Schönefeld.
She is honing her skills through international masterclasses with renowned organists such as Martin Schmeding, Zsigmond Szathmáry and Erwin Wiersinga, whilst developing a broad repertoire spanning various eras. It is particularly important to her to convey comfort and warmth to the audience through her music.
Age: 24 (born in 2001); South Korea
Aleksandr Volkov graduated with distinction from the Mikhail Glinka Choral College in St Petersburg in 2022 (organ, piano, and vocal and choral conducting). Since 2022, he has been studying organ at the Berlin University of the Arts – initially with Paolo Crivellaro and Pier Damiano Peretti, and currently in the class of Henry Fairs. In addition, he has been studying harpsichord with Avinoam Shalev since 2025. He gained stage experience as a singer in Prokofiev’s “War and Peace” at the Mariinsky Theatre. Volkov is a prize-winner in several competitions, including 1st prize at ‘Vivat Musica’ (Moscow) and 2nd prize at the Alexander Goedicke Competition. He performs as a soloist and cantata organist in Germany, Russia, Finland and Slovenia – with a keen interest in diverse musical styles.
Age: 22 (born 2003); Glasow/Russland
Organist Hanna Cho (born 1996 in South Korea) studied organ at the Korea National University of Arts and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree with distinction. Her interest in historical performance practice led her to Germany: she completed a Master’s degree at the Lübeck University of Music under Arvid Gast, also with distinction, with a particular focus on the North German repertoire. She is currently completing her concert examination at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) under Henry Fairs and refining her artistic profile. At the 17th International Gottfried Silbermann Organ Competition, she won the Audience Prize. Most recently, she gave a masterful performance of Romantic repertoire on the Sauer organ at Berlin Cathedral; she is currently working on a programme with a focus on the Baroque.
Age: 29; South Korea
Prof. Henry Fairs (b. 1976) is a British organist and, since the 2020/21 winter semester, Professor of Artistic Organ Performance at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). As an internationally touring musician, he is equally at home on both historical and modern instruments and has received numerous awards at major organ competitions (including Odense, Chartres, St Albans and Paris).
In his organ class at the UdK, he combines stylistic openness with technical precision – many of his students have already won prizes themselves.
This is ideal for our charity concerts: the audience experiences masterful playing and, at the same time, direct access to the instrument – from the perspective of a young, committed generation of musicians whom Prof. Fairs mentors artistically.
Henry Fairs will perform at the concert on 14 June 2026 · 5 pm · Sacrower Heilandskirche, Potsdam
The Förderverein Orgel Dom Riga e.V. invites you
Find out more about organ building and the current status of the project in Riga
3 June 2026 · 7:30 pm
14 June 2026 · 17 pm
Swedbank AS, Latvijas Evaņgēliski Luteriskās Basnīcas Rīgas Doma Draudze • IBAN: LV19 HABA 0551 0065 1477 7 • BIC: HABALV22
German donation account for the project: Postbank • BIC: PBNKDEFF • Konto (IBAN): DE49 1001 0010 0896 3821 02
