Michael Sanderling

Daniel Gauthier

Wolfram Goertz

Dag Jensen

Sharon Kam

Ralph Manno

Raimund Wippermann

Michael Sanderling

Chairman

The cellist and conductor Michael Sanderling descends from a prominent family of German musicians.

Competing successfully in several cello competitions (ARD Music Competition, Bach-Wettbewerb Leipzig, Casals-Wettbewerb Barcelona), he became, aged 19, the principal cellist at the Gewandhaus Leipzig and shortly thereafter solo cellist at the radio symphony orchestra of Berlin.  He went on to gain experience with guest engagements at important orchestras in Europe and the US, such as the BR and SWR symphony orchestras, the Deutsches Sinfonie Orchester, the radio symphony orchestra of Berlin, the Orchestre de Paris, the orchestra of the Tonhalle Zurich, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

For some time now, Michael Sanderling has been a highly regarded conductor praised by orchestras and the press abroad and at home.  The Chamber Orchestra of Berlin elected him their Principal Conductor, and the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie has appointed him their Chief Conductor.  For the season 2006/2007 he will take up the post of artistic director and chief conductor of the Kammerphilharmonie Potsdam.

Apart from his active artistic endeavours on the stage, Sanderling is an enthusiastic teacher at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt and is accounted one of the most highly regarded cello teachers working today.

Jury Overview

Daniel Gauthier

Daniel Gauthier studied in Canada and France.  After winning first prizes for saxophone at the Conservatoire de Montréal and the Conservatoire de Bordeaux, he completed his doctorate in Interpretation at the University of Montréal.

With his appointment to the Detmold department of the Hochschule für Musik in Dortmund In 1997, Daniel Gauthier became the first professor for classical saxophone in Germany.  Since 2003, he has occupied the Chair at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne.  His students are winners of numerous national and international competitions.  As of 2000, Gauthier has been a member of the “International Saxophone Committee” and artistic director of the “International Saxophone Quartet Competition Dortmund”.

In 2005, Daniel Gauthier won the German music prize “Echo Klassik” with his Alliage Quartett in the category “Klassik-ohne-Grenzen”.

Jury Overview

Wolfram Goertz

Born 1961 in Mönchengladbach, Wolfram Goertz studied music and philosophy in Cologne and Bochum as well as sacred music in Aachen and choir master under Herbert Schernus (Cologne) and Eric Ericson (Stockholm).  A music and theatre critic since 1978, he has written for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, FonoForum, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, a number of radio broadcasters and, since 1988, for Die Zeit.  In 1989 he became the music editor of the Rheinische Post in Düsseldorf.  For his musical reviews, he was awarded the 1994 Literature Prize of Düsseldorf.

In 1991, Goertz founded the jazz choir of the Hochschule Niederrhein which has since performed in a large number of concerts in Germany and abroad.  He has given organ recitals in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Finland.  He is a member of the jury for the German Record Critics’ Award.

Jury Overview

Dag Jensen

Dag Jensen was born in Horten, Norway.  From 1985 until 1988 he was the principal bassoonist of the Bamberger Symphoniker, and occupied the same position at the Cologne radio symphony orchestra from 1988 until 1997.

Dag Jensen has twice won the ARD Music Competition in Munich.  He is much in demand as a soloist, both in Germany and abroad.

An important part in his musical life is chamber music.  He is a member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and the Ensemble Villa Musica.

He is a frequent guest at numerous festivals in Germany and abroad.  His artistic work is well documented through numerous CD recordings.

Since 1997, he has been a professor at the Hannover Academy for Music and Theatre.

Jury Overview

Sharon Kam

Sharon Kam is a classical music virtuoso of the younger generation.  She was born in Israel.  

The foundations for her successful career were laid with winning the 1992 International ARD Music Competition, followed a year later by the prestigious Prix Davidoff.  Then followed concerts with, amongst others, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra as well as recitals in New York, Tokyo, Munich and Vancouver.

In 1998 she received the Echo Klassik Prize for best instrumentalist for her recording of the Weber concerts with the Gewandhaus orchestra under Kurt Masur.  Her CD “American Classics” with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by her husband Gregor Bühl, was awarded the German Record Critics’ Prize.

Jury Overview

Ralph Manno

Born 1964 in Brühl, Ralph Manno is one of the leading clarinettists of his generation.  He received scholarships from the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes and the Herbert-von-Karajan-Akademie of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.  Aged 23, Ralph Menno was already the solo clarinetist with the WDR in Cologne; two years later, Sergio Celibidache asked him to join the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1993, at only 29 years of age, he was appointed a professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne.  He teaches master classes in the USA, Japan, South America, Australia and Europe.  Both as a soloist and a chamber musician, he is much in demand at international concert venues and festivals.

Ralph Menno is a dedicated promoter of contemporary music.  He has played with Boulez, Berio and Penderecki, and has inspired many composers to new compositions for the clarinet.  He is the artistic director of the international music festival KONTUREN and curates entire seasons of chamber music throughout Germany.

Jury Overview

Raimund Wippermann

Studied music teaching, sacred music and choirmaster at the conservatories in Cologne and Düsseldorf.  Postgraduate studies at the conservatory in Stockholm (amongst others with Professor Eric Ericson); several years’ engagement as church musician; 1991 appointment as bandmaster at the dome in Essen where he was entrusted with the direction of the dome choir and the formation of the girls’ choir.

Since August 2004, he has been the director of the Robert Schumann Hochschule in  Düsseldorf. 

Raimund Wippermann is the founder and artistic director of the chamber choir Cantemus.  From 1995 until September 2000 he was also choir master of the Städtischer Musikverein of Düsseldorf. 

Jury Overview

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