I can look back on a time with many great experiences and fantastic colleagues. These range from the wind orchestra of my home village, the orchestra of the “Theater des Westens” in Berlin, the Bavarian State Opera, up to the Berlin Philharmonic in 1983.
Since 1985 I have been principal clarinet player with the SWR Symphony Orchestra (formerly the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra) and had the privilege of experiencing and learning from the ranks of the great Maestri and soloists of the last century as a member of a wonderful orchestra. Among my most influential teachers, however, are Prof. Helmuth Pallushek – my teacher and musical foster-father in Hannover, Prof. Helen Donath – soprano and singing professor in Hannover, Thomas Brandis – former concert master of the Berlin Philharmonic, Heinz Holliger – source of ideas, chamber music partner and teacher – and Sir Roger Norrington – principal conductor of the Stuttgart RSO for many years.
I owe Heinz Holliger my constant efforts to contemporary music and a fine recording of Claude Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie (SWR music). I pay homage to Sir Roger’s musical language on my CD with the clarinet works of Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (TACET). Other CDs with works by Charles Koechlin, Robert Schumann, Paul Hindemith and a wide-ranging French repertoire have been released on the Hänssler classic and TACET labels.

Next to the orchestra, chamber music takes up most of my time. For many years, it has been the Ludwig Chamber Players that have provided a lot of work and great experiences. I have also made most of my arrangements for this mixed string and wind ensemble. Our Prokofiev Chamber Music CD, with the “Visions fugitives” (TACET 222) arranged by me, was nominated for the International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in 2017.

In addition to invitations to international festivals, including Ferrara, Schwetzingen, Salzburg or the Rheingau Music Festival, trips to Japan are a recurring pleasure in my schedule. . Since 2010 I have been working with the brilliant Japanese woodwind instrument maker Yukio Nakamura (JOSEF Woodwind Manufacture, Okinawa). In addition, wonderful friendships and projects have developed with Prof. Mako Okamoto (piano), Kei Shirai (violin), Gen Yokosaka (cello) and Ryutaro Hei (double bass). Among others, we release a touching recording of Olivier Messiaen the “Quatuor pour la fin de temps” by NHK, Tokyo. In 2023 we were awarded the Aoyama music award for a recital with Mako Okamoto playing the piano.