BIOGRAPHY

Born in Weimar in 1954 to a conductor father. Began violin lessons at age 6, later also learned to play piano. Has played guitar since age 13. Music studies in Münster. First recording in 1973; since that time, recordings on a regular basis in Germany, Italy, England and the USA. Record and/or CD releases for Kicking Mule Records, Stockfisch, Edition Collage and (since 1989) for Acoustic Music Records, represented on a number of international samplers. Since 1976, repeated successful tours in Germany, the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Finland, Poland, Estonia and Russia. Since 1979, participation in numerous television and radio productions; as ab employee of WDR, Deutschlandfunk and Deutsche Welle, author of various programs on guitar music. Since 1981, compositions for symphony orchestra; compositions for film and television since 1985. In 1988, establishment of own music publishing company and the Acoustic Music Records label; since then, producer of dozens – in part prize-winning – CDs with the styles of guitar music, blues, jazz and worldmusic. Since 1995, publisher of the Akustik Gitarre magazine.

PRIZES AND AWARDS

1962 prizewinner in the Jugend musiziert (Youth Plays Music) competition
1969 prizewinner in the Jugend musiziert (Youth Plays Music) competition
1973 winner of the newcomer competition of the Interfolk Festival in Osnabrück
1982 prizewinner of the Ernst-Fischer-Preis for orchestral music
1985 1st prize in the composition competition of the Oldenburg State Theater
for the orchestral composition „Herbstwind“ („Autumn Wind“)
2003 music-prize of Niedersachsen