Matthias Höfs
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Matthias Höfs (born 1965 in
Lübeck Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
) is a German
trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
.


Education

When he was six years old, Höfs received his first trumpet and played in the wind band of the sports club of the city of
Lübeck Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
, Germany. In 1975, when he was ten years old, he began studying the trumpet with Professor Peter Kallensee. In 1982 he enrolled at the
Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg The Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg is one of the larger College or university school of music, universities of music in Germany. It was founded in 1950 as ''Staatliche Hochschule für Musik'' (Public college of music) on the base of t ...
, where he continued his studies with Prof. Kallensee. In 1984 he transferred to the Karajan Academy of the
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra The Berlin Philharmonic () is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world. Throughout the 20th century, the orchestra was led by conductors Wilhelm Furtwängler (1922†...
to study with Professor Konradin Groth. He graduated with distinction.


Professional life

Upon graduation in 1984, he became the first trumpet with the
Philharmoniker Hamburg The Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg (Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra) is an internationally renowned symphony orchestra based in Hamburg. As of 2015, Kent Nagano has been General Music Director (''Generalmusikdirektor'') and chief ...
. He joined the chamber ensemble the German Brass in 1985, as well as participating in chamber ensembles including the Linos Ensemble, the Deutschen Bläsersolisten, the Ensemble Villa Musica, and the
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen (''unofficial English translation'': Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic) is a chamber orchestra based in Bremen (Germany), with place of residence in the historical building Stadtwaage. History A group of ...
. He won several solo competitions, including the Hanseatic City Cultural Prize of Lübeck, Eduard Söhring prize in 1988 and the International Music Championship hosted in
Markneukirchen Markneukirchen () is a town in the Vogtlandkreis district, in Saxony, Germany, close to the Czech Republic, Czech border. It lies in the Elster Mountains (part of the Fichtel Mountains), southeast of Plauen, and northeast of AÅ¡ (Czech Republic) ...
. He also received scholarships from the German Musical Council and the Mozart Society. He released his first CD in 1995, ''Un Concerto Italiano'' (An Italian Concert). His role in the German Brass changed to include arranging for the group (with Enrique Crespo) as well as being a soloist.


Teaching

In 2000, he left his position as soloist at the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg to become professor of trumpet at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg. He has had guest professorships at music schools in several countries, including the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...
. He continues to work in Hamburg today with students from several countries, many of whom already hold orchestral positions.


Recordings

Höfs has recorded seven albums of trumpet music under his own name, as well as being featured playing
Hindemith Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major ad ...
's Concerto for bassoon, trumpet, and strings with the Kammerakademie Potsdam. His recorded repertoire includes baroque and contemporary, and his latest recording features music written by composer Wolf Kerschek.


Equipment

Höfs plays on custom trumpets made by the Thein brothers in
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...
, Germany. He has helped design many of his own horns, as well as the commercially available MH One.


Discography

*"Un concerto italiano"(1995) *"An English Concert" (2002) *"Twentieth Century Bassoon Concertos" (2005) *"Gansch Meets Höfs" together with Hans Gansch (2006) *"Trumpet Acrobatics" (2007) *"The Trumpet Shall Sound" (2009) *"Solo de Concours" (2010) *"Adventures of a Trumpet" (2011) *"Live in Japan" (2013) *"Hommage!" (2014) *"Fireworks" (2015) *"Mozart con tromba" (2016) *"Telemann Trompetenkonzerte" (2017) *"Kinds of Gold" (2018) *"Bach: Trumpet Concertos" (2019) *"Oskar Böhme Trumpet Concerto & Pieces" (2022)


References


External links


official Matthias Höfs Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hofs, Matthias 1965 births Living people German male trumpeters Musicians from Lübeck 21st-century German trumpeters 21st-century German male musicians German classical trumpeters Players of the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg