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Stuttgart celebrates: Huge flash mobs for the 20th anniversary of gospel music!
Gospel im Osten celebrates 20 years with flash mobs and festival in Stuttgart. Experience an unforgettable anniversary!
Stuttgart celebrates: Huge flash mobs for the 20th anniversary of gospel music!
On Saturday, May 31, 2025, around 750 people gathered for the third flash mob of the “Gospel im Osten” choir, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The flash mob took place on Schlossplatz in downtown Stuttgart and was the largest in a series of surprise performances intended to honor the choir's anniversary. Previously, at 10:02 a.m., the first flash mob began in the Stuttgart City Library, followed by a second flash mob at 11 a.m. at the collegiate church, where several singers with microphones sang the first notes, supported by numerous other choir members. The audience reacted with delight, many singing along or clapping along to the beat.
The Stuttgart choir, which was founded in 2005 in the Heilandskirche in the east of Stuttgart, has grown to an impressive 600 members. The initiative came from Albrecht Hoch, the managing pastor of the Evangelical Peace Church in Stuttgart, and the choir director Tom Dillenhöfer, who wanted to bring singing to the Heilandskirche. In 2014, the choir moved to the Friedenskirche am Neckartor because the premises of the Heilandskirche had become too small.
A celebration of community
The flash mobs are part of the five-day “United by Gospel” festival, which began on May 28, 2025 and involves various partner choirs from Germany, Switzerland and Chile. Over 1,000 singers from a total of eight choirs rehearsed together for the celebrations. The anniversary celebrations have the motto “United by Gospel”, which reflects the solidarity and diversity of the participating choirs. As part of the festival, a large gospel festival also took place at Schillerplatz in Stuttgart, where, among others, the European beatbox champion Robeat provided entertainment.
The final event of the anniversary is a concert in the MHPArena in Ludwigsburg. On the evening of May 31, 2025, various gospel songs will be performed here in English and Spanish, including “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang and “United” by the Swiss pianist Andreas Hausammann. Tickets for the concert are available in advance, with prices starting at 20 euros. Visitors could also receive a maximum of two free tickets, with free seating.
The future of the choir
Despite the festive mood, there are also challenges that are currently keeping the choir busy. “Gospel im Osten” is confronted with unsafe conditions for its rehearsal room in the Friedenskirche because it was declared “dispensable”. To ensure the site's preservation, a petition is underway seeking support from the community and beyond.
The choir's commitment, which has existed for 20 years, is reflected in its openness to all ages, denominations and musical backgrounds. There are no auditions required for “Gospel in the East,” which makes participation attractive to many people and promotes a diverse community.
With these anniversary celebrations, “Gospel in the East” is setting an example for the power of singing together and community, and proving once again that music builds bridges – across cultural and denominational boundaries. The Stuttgarter Nachrichten reported on the impressive event, which captured the hearts of the audience and invited numerous people to sing along and celebrate. You can find more information about the festivities at Stuttgart News, as well as on the websites of Evangelical Stuttgart and Gospel in the East.