Bildungs- und Seminarzentrum Schloss Kröchlendorff

Winterakademie Schloss Kröchlendorff

Guest Professor Violoncello

Claus Kanngiesser,

born in Oldenburg/Germany. Studied with the Feuermann pupil Heinrich Schüchner in Hamburg and with Zara Nelsova in New York. Further artistic inspiration from Gaspar Cassado, Pablo Casals, Lord Yehudi Menuhin and Rudolf Serkin. After winning the highest national competition, winner of the ARD competition Munich (1967), Maurice Loeb New York (1968) and UNESCO competition Paris (1970). Career start with Brahms Double Concerto and Yehudi Menuhin Since then concert performances with many leading orchestras of Europe under well-known conductors including A. Dorati, M. Rossi, H. Schmidt-Isserstedt, St. Skrowaczewski, P. Dervaux, Sir Charles Groves and others. Guest performances at important festivals in Spoleto, Naples, Marlboro, Berlin, Bonn and Schleswig Holstein. 1981-91 Member of Stuttgart Pianotrio. 1992- 97 Member of Trio Paideia (Clarinet, Cello and Piano).

1993-2001 Artistic director of the oldest german chamber-music festival "Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker". 1971 appointed as the youngest german Professor for Violoncello at the Musikhochschule Saarbrücken (succeeding Maurice Gendron). 1987 change to the biggest german Musikhochschule in Cologne, since 2002 deputy director of that school. His Students concertize as soloists, chamber-music players, first desk orchestra members all over the world. Some teach as professors and won international prizes (like Gustav Rivinius, first prize Tchaikovsky Competition Moscow). Jury member in international competitions like Tchaikovsky/Moscow, Munich, Geneva, Leipzig, Paris, Scheveningen etc. Claus Kanngiesser enjoys a rich musical life as soloist, chamber-music player, teacher, director, juror and advisor.