Period

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Baroque

Genre

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Keyboard

 

Wolfgang Zerer is a renowned German classical music artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of music as a harpsichordist, organist, and conductor. He was born on August 16, 1954, in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a church musician, and his mother was a singer, which influenced his early interest in music. Zerer began his musical education at the age of six, learning to play the piano and the recorder. He later switched to the organ and the harpsichord, which became his primary instruments. He studied at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, where he received his diploma in church music and organ performance. He also studied harpsichord with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam and with Kenneth Gilbert in Paris. Zerer's career as a musician began in the early 1980s when he started performing as a soloist and chamber musician. He quickly gained recognition for his exceptional skills and musicality, and his performances were praised for their clarity, precision, and expressiveness. He has performed in major concert halls and festivals around the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Wigmore Hall in London, and the Lincoln Center in New York. One of the highlights of Zerer's career was his performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations at the Leipzig Bach Festival in 2000. The performance was highly acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, and it established Zerer as one of the leading interpreters of Bach's keyboard music. He has also recorded several albums of Bach's music, including the complete works for harpsichord and the complete organ works. Zerer is also known for his work as a conductor, particularly in the field of Baroque opera. He has conducted productions of Handel's operas at the Halle Opera House and the Göttingen Handel Festival, and he has also conducted operas by Monteverdi, Purcell, and Rameau. His conducting style is characterized by his attention to detail and his ability to bring out the nuances and subtleties of the music. In addition to his performing and conducting career, Zerer is also a respected teacher and scholar. He has taught at several music schools in Germany, including the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. He has also published several articles and books on Baroque music and performance practice, including a book on Bach's keyboard music. Zerer's contributions to the world of music have been recognized with several awards and honors. In 1999, he was awarded the Bach Medal by the city of Leipzig, and in 2004, he received the Echo Klassik Award for his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. He was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011 for his contributions to the arts. In conclusion, Wolfgang Zerer is a highly respected and accomplished classical music artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of music as a performer, conductor, teacher, and scholar. His exceptional skills and musicality have earned him international recognition and acclaim, and his work has inspired and influenced generations of musicians. He continues to be an active performer and teacher, and his legacy as a musician and scholar will undoubtedly endure for many years to come.

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