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Kempenkoor celebrates its 20th St. Matthew Passion performance in 2026!

The concerts are scheduled on Monday 30 March 2026 (Highlights concert, Veldhoven) and Wednesday 1 April 2026 (integral performance, Oirschot).

Tickets for Oirschot are available via our online shop. Tickets for Veldhoven are sold via the ticket shop of Theatre de Schalm.

Donors and visitors of previous concerts will receive a separate newsletter. Via this website and our (Dutch) newsletter we will keep you informed – please subscribe.

20th performance of St. Matthew Passion
at St. Peter’s Basilica in Oirschot
on Wednesday 1 April 2026
starting at 19:30 h

In the magnificent basilica of Oirschot a delightful performance of St. Matthew Passion will take place on Wednesday before Easter. Kempenkoor will perform J.S. Bach’s masterpiece for the 20th time!
This St. Matthew Passion ranks among the most appreciated performances in the south of the Netherlands and therefore belongs in the Easter agenda of many frequent visitors.

Performers

Kempenkoor
Baroque orchestra La Sorpresa
Jongenskoor (Boys Choir) Dalfsen
Conductor: Cees Wouters
Choir tutor: Ad Broeksteeg

Soloists

Jan Van Elsacker, tenor (Evangelist)
Huub Claessens, bass (Christ)
Hilde Coppé, soprano
David van Laar, altus
Twan van der Wolde, tenor
Berend Stumphius, bass-baritone
Ralph Rousseau Meulenbroeks, viola da gamba

Ticket sales

Admission: € 20,00 / € 40,00 / € 50,00 / € 86,00
Including: beverage during intermission, programme and € 1,- service charge per ticket. Additional transaction charges of 1.8 % per order apply for all payment methods.

  • On-line ticket shop
  • Ordering assistance is available at the counter of TIP Oirschot (Tourist Information Point), Markt 1, 5688 AJ Oirschot. After ordering and payment you will receive your e-tickets via email.
  • There will be ticket sales at the church before the concert.

Foundation Matthaüs Passion Oirschot-De Kempen
De Steenzager 38
5506 GH Veldhoven
Phone: 06-37599505
E-mail: stichting@matthauspassionoirschot.nl

Foundation Matthäus Passion Oirschot-De Kempen takes great care in creating, assembling and distributing the information on this website, but cannot in any way guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. The foundation does not accept any responsibility and disclaims all liability for any damages arising from the use or incompleteness of the information provided on this website in any manner.

Highlights of St. Matthew Passion
at Theatre de Schalm in Veldhoven
on Monday 30 March 2026
starting at 20:00 h

Every year Kempenkoor visits a different town to introduce more people to St. Matthew Passion. This year the Highlights concert will take place in the choir's home base of Veldhoven. This abbreviated version of St. Matthew Passion includes all choir pieces and some arias. This concept is unique in the Netherlands. Many visitors are so captivated that they want to attend the full performance in Oirschot 2 days later.

What will happen that evening?

  • You will witness the dress rehearsal of choir and orchestra (totalling 130 musicians). They will perform all chorals and choir pieces. The integral performance takes place in Oirschot 2 days later.
  • The well-known story of the betrayal and death of Jesus will be narrated (in Dutch) by tenor Gert-Jan Verbueken, who also sings some Evangelist recitatives.
  • Soprano Rosa Ligtermoet will sing a some famous arias.
  • Musicians will give some explanations about their instruments (in Dutch). These are historic baroque instruments from the days of Bach or faithful copies.
  • The evening has a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Children welcome

We warmly welcome children to attend the concert. The evening has been shortened to create a music performance that will appeal to the entire family.
“They did not know that classical music could be such fun and beautiful”, according to an enthusiastic grandfather. The Highlights of St. Matthew Passion is a success among children.

Interested to attend this special programme? 

Admission to Highlights of St. Matthew Passion is € 30,- (including €1,- service charge). Young people of age 16 or below escorted by an adult pay € 6,- (including €1,- service charge).

Ticket sales