Detect Classic Festival 2025 explores the evolving meaning of live music in a digital age, blending classical, electronic, experimental music. Taking place at Schloss Bröllin from August 8-10, the festival offers an impressive lineup of 80 artists that celebrates discovery, community, and connection.
Detect Classic Festival returns once again to the historic Schloss Bröllin estate in Northern Germany, taking place from 8-10 August 2025. The festival continues to carve out a unique space where classical, electronic, experimental, and improvisational music meet and merge.
The 2025 edition centers on a theme that feels more relevant than ever: “The Meaning of Live” – playing on ‘the meaning of life’ and ‘live music’. We are challenged to rethink the essence of live music in an age shaped by digital saturation, social media, and the blurred boundaries between performer and spectator. “Our festival has always been about experiencing live music,” says festival organiser Jasmin Falk. “But this year, we’re not just asking what live music and community have to do with each other. We’re also highlighting how the term and meaning of live music have changed significantly in recent decades.” In an era where almost every moment is captured, streamed, and shared, the festival challenges its audience to consider: What value do we place on live music, musicians, and the audience in a digitalised world? And while there may be no definitive answer, the festival offers a clear position: “We have always valued the live music experience. We are intimate and we are live. After all, life and live music are about encounters and togetherness,” says Jasmin Falk.
In contrast to commercial pop events, where audiences pay for ‘expected’ performances by big names, Detect Classic Festival emphasizes the thrill of discovery and the beauty of unpredictability. The festival’s lineup is carefully crafted to foster this spirit through a balanced mix of headline names, exciting newcomers, and rare collaborative moments. “We wanted this year to be extra colourful, with big contrasts and musical treasures that are waiting to be discovered. Small live acts with big names who dare to experiment, big bands with small names who enchant us. DJs and live acts that listen, dance and go with the flow just like the audience itself and none that always do the same rehearsed thing,” explains curator Paulina Sofie Kiss.
This year’s lineup features a diverse group of artists pushing the boundaries of live performance. On Friday, August 8, Acid Pauli will team up with the Detect Ensemble for a special live set at the festival church, blending electronic improvisation with classical elements. He will also return on Saturday for a DJ set. Jan Jelinek, a pioneer of experimental electronic music, will be bringing his signature soundscapes to the stage and join a panel on the evolving meaning of live music, recorded by BR Klassik for their podcast Klassik für Klugscheißer. Max Cooper, known for his immersive audiovisual performances exploring science, nature, and emotions, will present a special show on the Friday night. ANIKA, working at the edge of experimental rock and electronics, will be continuing the festival’s tradition of genre-defying acts. Innovative bassist Farida Amadou will bring an experimental approach to her instrument, and Leifur James will close the weekend with a reflective yet high-energy electronic live set.
Additional artists, from orchestral ensembles like junge norddeutsche philharmonie, Noor Jazz Ensemble and Antara to electronic and DJ acts such as VRIL, Geju, Mattmosphere, and Saraabb, further enrich the lineup with a kaleidoscope of sounds. Simultaneously, smaller intermezzi, walking acts, and interactive performances will be scattered through the festival grounds, inviting audiences to engage with music in new ways. This mixture of scale and spontaneity cultivates an environment where artist and audience can fluidly move between performer and listener roles – an idea at the heart of the festival’s community ethos. Detect Classic Festival 2025 is also not just about concerts. The festival space itself becomes a living artwork with artistic installations, theater, dance, and workshops for all ages. Visitors can participate in panels discussing contemporary questions about art, society, and technology or find moments of calm in yoga sessions set against the serene landscape.
“The central idea behind Detect is to discover something you don’t know yet and thereby strengthen openness and joy in diversity as a positive attitude,” explains festival organiser Konstantin Udert. “When we reflect on ‘the meaning of life’ in particular, it is a counter-movement associated with trends that sees artistic potential in the digital world, but also confidently focuses on the value of human authenticity and, above all, the social implications of an artistic dramaturgy that connects diversity.”
Detect Classic Festival 2025 invites audiences to experience music and art in a way that breaks from the digital noise, fosters genuine connection, and sharpens our focus on the present moment. The festival promises a weekend of inspiration, discovery, and shared moments – a true celebration of what it means to be (a)live.
Listen to Exclusive Detect Classic Festival 2024 mixes:
noufān
Jeanette Trèsbien
Popp Drum Trio
JakoJako – Groove Mix
Follow Detect Classic Festival
https://detectclassic.com/en/festival/
