Stephan König (born 4 October 1963) is a German composer, pianist and conductor. He is the musical director of the "LeipJAZZig-Orkester" and the chamber orchestra "artentfaltung" and is considered one of the most authoritative Jazz musicians in

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

Life

König was born in Berlin in 1963. After six years of music school lessons in

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

, König was a pupil at the Spezialschule für Musik in Halle from 1974 to 1980. In 1980, he began studying at the

University of Music and Theatre Leipzig The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig () is a public university in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatorium der Musik (Conservatory of Music), it is the oldest univ ...

, majoring in conducting ( Olaf Koch and Christian Kluttig), piano (Wolfram Merkel) and composition ( Peter Herrmann) and graduated in 1986 in all three subjects. He then completed additional studies in composition at the same university until 1988. Since the same year, he has held a teaching position at the university. In the field of jazz/popular music he currently teaches

jazz piano Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instru ...

and piano. In 1985, he made a guest appearance as

harpsichordist A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord. Harpsichordists may play as soloists, as accompanists, as chamber musicians, or as members of an orchestra, or some combination of these roles. Solo harpsichordists may play unaccompanied son ...

of the Halle Opera House in Poland. In 1986, he was a founding member of the Leipzig Jazz Theatre, of which he was musical director for two years. In 1987, the pianist founded the König Trio together with Thomas Moritz (double bass) and Jörg Steffens (drums). After changing line-ups (among others with Stephan "Grete" Weiser, Tom Götze, Wolfram Dix, Frank-Endrik Moll), he currently plays with Thomas Stahr (double bass) and Wieland Götze (drums). The trio performed among others at the

Vilnius Jazz Festival The Vilnius Jazz Festival is a jazz festival held in Vilnius, Lithuania. The festival runs over 3–4 days, and includes concerts, workshops and jazz sessions. It attracts around 5000 people each year. Many notable groups and musicians have perfor ...

(1988) and at the Sibiu Jazz Festival (1990). In 2010, he formed a jazz quartet, which also includes Reiko Brockelt (saxophone). This ensemble covers a range between classical and jazz. In 2018, they played a jazz version of the ''

Christmas Oratorio The ''Christmas Oratorio'' (German: ''Weihnachtsoratorium''), , is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It is in six parts, each part a cantata intended for performance in a churc ...

'' in the

Herkulessaal The Residenz (, ''Residence'') in central Munich is the former royal palace of the House of Wittelsbach, Wittelsbach List of rulers of Bavaria, monarchs of Bavaria. The Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany and is today open to visitors ...

in Munich. In duo, König appeared with Fermín Villanueva (violoncello). In 1995, he was one of the initiators of the gast-art series at the , which he supervised as

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogu ...

. In 1996, he co-initiated the LeipJAZZig event series at Leipzig's Nikolaischule. In 1997, he became a board member of the Initiative Leipziger Jazzmusiker. In 1998, he founded the LeipJAZZig Orchestra, which he leads and to which fourteen jazz soloists belong. It has performed among others at the Leipziger Jazztage (1999, 2006), the (2006), the Nanjing Jazz Festival (2007) and the (2010). In 2017, it played in the

Elbphilharmonie The Elbphilharmonie (; "Elbe Philharmonic Hall"), popularly nicknamed Elphi, is a concert hall in the HafenCity quarter of Hamburg, Germany, on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River. The new construction resembles a hoisted sail, water wave ...

in Hamburg. Jürgen Wölfer compared the group to the

Vienna Art Orchestra The Vienna Art Orchestra was a European jazz group based in Vienna, Austria. Organized at different times as either a big band or as a smaller combo, it was regarded as one of the leading European jazz ensembles and was an official cultural amba ...

. Bert Noglik describes the LeipJAZZig-Orkester as a "Kultband". From 1999 to 2008, he was artistic director of JazzKosmos. In 2007, the

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

"artentfaltung" was founded by him and the painter and graphic artist Christl Maria Göthner, of which he is

. From 2008 to 2014, he was a permanent pianist in the Figaro Radio or Figaro Reading Café on MDR Figaro. In the 2010s, he repeatedly played the piano and

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mus ...

with the

MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra The MDR-Sinfonieorchester (MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra) is a German radio orchestra based in Leipzig. It is the radio orchestra of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, the public broadcaster for the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony ...

. Furthermore, he worked among others with

Nigel Kennedy Nigel Kennedy (born 28 December 1956) is an English violinist and viola, violist. His early career was primarily spent performing classical music, and has since expanded into jazz music, jazz, klezmer, and other music genres. Early life and ...

Lyambiko Lyambiko (born Sandy Müller; 1978) is a German jazz singer. She has released five charting albums in Germany. Life and work Lyambiko, whose stage name is the last name of her father, was born in Tanzania, and grew up in a musically active fam ...

, Florian Poser and the

Ensemble Amarcord Amarcord is a German male classical vocal ensemble based in Leipzig, founded in 1992 by five former members of the Thomanerchor. They primarily perform Medieval music and Renaissance music, as well as collaborating with Contemporary classical mus ...

. Guest contracts exist with various orchestras and stages. Concert tours have taken him at home and abroad. König has been involved in several CD, radio and television productions. His œuvre includes orchestral, chamber and vocal music, jazz as well as music theatre and drama. He has received commissions among others by the

Gewandhaus Gewandhaus () is a concert hall in Leipzig, the home of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Today's hall is the third to bear this name; like the second, it is noted for its fine acoustics. History The first Gewandhaus (''Altes Gewandhaus'') The ...

, the

Leipzig Opera The Leipzig Opera () is an opera house and opera company located at the Augustusplatz and the Inner City Ring Road at its east side in Leipzig's district Mitte, Germany. History Performances of opera in Leipzig trace back to Singspiel perfo ...

, the Akademisches Orchester Leipzig, the

Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (; "Central German Broadcasting"), shortened to MDR (; stylized as mdr), is the public broadcaster for the federal states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt in Germany. Established in January 1991, its headquarters are in Leipzig, wi ...

and the

Thomanerchor The Thomanerchor (English: St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig) is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. The choir comprises about 90 boys from 9 to 18 years of age. The members, called ''Thomaner'', reside in a boarding scho ...

Leipzig. König was responsible for numerous arrangements, for example his version for voice and

string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...

of the

song cycle A song cycle () is a group, or cycle (music), cycle, of individually complete Art song, songs designed to be performed in sequence, as a unit.Susan Youens, ''Grove online'' The songs are either for solo voice or an ensemble, or rarely a combinat ...

'' The Juliet Letters'' (by

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...

) was

premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the ...

d in 2009 by Ines Agnes Krautwurst and the Leipzig String Quartet. Three times a year, the Augustinian Association of the Gymnasium St. Augustine in Grimma organises the ''Augustinian Concerts'', for which König is musically responsible. In the 32nd series of the Augustinian Concerts, König performed the programme "Herzenslieder" with Uschi Brüning on 14 September 2018, which he prepared together with the singer. Hagen Kunze and Peter KorfmacherPeter Korfmacher: ''So lange es solche Formationen gibt…''. In the ''

Leipziger Volkszeitung The ''Leipziger Volkszeitung'' or ''LVZ'' (German language, German for ''Leipzig People's Newspaper'') is a daily regional newspaper in Leipzig and western Saxony, Germany. First published on 1 October 1894, the LVZ was formerly an important pu ...

'', 20 January 2006, . called König the "Jazz-

Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...

" of Leipzig.

Awards

* 1976: Diploma (piano solo), Virtuosi per Musica di Pianoforte, Ústí nad Labem (ČSSR). * 1977: 1st place piano group A and special prize, 8th Improvisation Competition, Weimar * 1979: 2nd place Piano Group B, 10th Improvisation Competition Weimar * 1981: 2nd prize piano group C and special prize, 11th Improvisation Competition Weimar * 1982: 5th place piano group C, 12th Improvisation Competition Weimar * 1983. 1st prize piano group C, 13th Improvisation Competition Weimar * 1987: Prize of the , 9th in Frankfurt/Oder * 1992: Prize of the Berlin, 11th Tage des Chansons in Frankfurt/Oder

Work

* Klaviertrio (1984) * 3 Lieder nach Texten von Johann Christian Günther (1985) * Toccata für Klavier (1985) * Ballade für Orchester (1986) * Leb wohl, Judas (1986) * DEHNSUCHT (1987–1990) * Raviolo (1987) * Geisterfahrer (1987) * Der Tod von Bessie Smith (1988) * Marilyn Memories (1992) * ZUSAMMENALLEIN (1994). Ballettmusik * SPRINGSWING (1996) * BILLARD (1996). Musical gemeinsam mit Lothar Bölck. Premiere: 29 May 2001 Leipzig (Eröffnung, Konzertsaal der Hochschule für Musik und Theater „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig, director Rüdiger Evers) * Konzert für Klavier und Orchester (1997). Premiere: 21 September 2009 Jena ( Volkshaus Jena, Jenaer Philharmonie, Stephan König (piano), u. v. a. m., direction: Hans Rotman) * Zyklus für Jazz-Orchester (1998) * FROZEN MOMENTS (2000). Konzert für Klavier und Streichquartett. Premiere: 27 June 2000 Leipzig (Kuppelhalle am Augustusplatz Leipzig, Stephan König (piano), Leipzig String Quartet) * SAXOPHONIE (2000) * quadruple talk (2001) * BOUNDLESS MUSIC (2001). Konzert für Jazz-Trio und Sinfonie-Orchester. Premiere: 28 May 2001 Leipzig (VI. Akademisches Konzert, Großer Saal,

, Akademisches Orchester Leipzig, Stephan König (piano), Stephan Weiser (Kontrabass), Wolfram Dix (Schlagzeug), conductor: Horst Förster) * Schnittstelle (2001) * tap it deep (2002) * Nichtsfabrik (2002) * 3 Winterlieder (2003) * four flight pictures (2003) * ZAUBERSPRÜCHE (2004) * Konzert für Klavier und Jazz-Orchester (2005) * Bläserquintett (2005) * Amadeus' Klavier (2006). Ein musikalisches Theater in 2 Akten. Libretto: Philipp J. Neumann. Premiers: 18 June 2006 Leipzig (Großer Saal, Gewandhaus, GewandhausKinderchor, u. v. a. m., direction: Frank-Steffen Elster) * Ballade für Jazz-Orchester (2006) * Konzert für Klavier und Kammerorchester (2007) * Die Beschwörung der Oper (2007). Kantate für gemischten Chor, Kinderchor, Orchester und Bigband. Text: Philipp J. Neumann. Premiere: 11. November 2007 Leipzig (Wiedereröffnung,

Oper Leipzig The Leipzig Opera () is an opera house and opera company located at the Augustusplatz and the Inner City Ring Road at its east side in Leipzig's district Mitte, Germany. History Performances of opera in Leipzig trace back to Singspiel perfo ...

, Leipziger Universitätschor, GewandhausKinderchor, Kinderchor der Oper Leipzig, BigBand und Jazzchor der Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig, Leipziger Universitätsorchester, Leitung: Stephan König) * nocturnal awaking (2008) * Klang Auerbach (2009) * 12 Préludes für Klavier (2009) – Jazzinspirierte Klangbilder. Premiere: 20 March 2010 Leipzig (Mediencampus Leipzig, Stephan König (piano)) * Rhythmic Contacts (2009) * SCHILLER2009 (2009) –

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, philosopher and historian. Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright. He was born i ...

zum 250. Geburtstag. Premiere: 10 November 2009 (Gewandhaus,

Martin Petzold Martin Petzold (25 June 1955 – 19 April 2023) was a German classical tenor who performed internationally in opera and concert. He was for decades a member of the Leipzig Opera, performing more than 80 roles such as Pedrillo in Mozart's ''Die ...

(singing), Ines Agnes Krautwurst (singing), Sebastian Ude (violin), Henry Schneider (viola), Wolfram Stephan (violoncello), Thomas Stahr (Kontrabass, Bassgitarre), Thomas Winkler (percussion), Stephan König (piano, Leitung, Videoprojektion)) * Duo für Kastagnetten und Klavier (2010) * Ballade für Klavier und Kammerorchester (2010) * elm & oak (2011) * Rhapsodie für Riesengeige und Orchester (2011) * Die Reise zum Mond (2012). Filmmusik zu ''

A Trip to the Moon ''A Trip to the Moon'' ( , ) is a 1902 French science-fiction adventure trick film written, directed, and produced by Georges Méliès. Inspired by the Jules Verne novel ''From the Earth to the Moon'' (1865) and its sequel '' Around the Moon ...

'' by

Georges Méliès Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès ( , ; 8 December 1861 – 21 January 1938) was a French magic (illusion), magician, toymaker, actor, and filmmaker. He led many technical and narrative developments in the early days of film, cinema, primarily in th ...

(1902). Premiere 1 June 2012 Leipzig (Reihe Eins: Reise-Geschichten, MDR-Kubus, artentfaltung) * Flux alabastrum (2013) * LUCID DREAMS – Konzert für Klavier und Orchester (2013). Premiere: 20 March 2014 Leipzig (19. Festival LeipJAZZig, UT Connewitz, LeipJAZZig-Orkester, artentfaltung, Stephan König (direction, piano)) * pulsar variations – Konzert für Klavier und Kammerorchester (2014). Premiere: 7 November 2014 Schönebeck (8. IMPULS-Festival für Neue Musik in Sachsen-Anhalt, Dr.-Tolberg-Saal, Mitteldeutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Stephan König (piano), direction: Gerard Oskamp) * Perpinoa – Trio für Pipa, Piano und Percussion (2014) * Haddock (2015). Chorkantate zum Exil des Thomanerchores in der Fürstenschule St. Augustin in Grimma nach den

Bombing of Leipzig in World War II During World War II, Leipzig was repeatedly attacked by British as well as American air raids. The most severe attack was launched by the Royal Air Force in the early hours of 4 December 1943 and claimed more than 1,800 lives. Large parts of t ...

, 4 December 1943. Premiere: 17 June 2015 Leipzig (

Bachfest Leipzig The Bachfest Leipzig (Leipzig Bach Festival) is a music festival which takes place annually, in the month of June, in the city of Leipzig, where J. S. Bach worked as the Thomaskantor from 1723 until his death in 1750. The current artistic direct ...

2015,

Thomaskirche The St. Thomas Church () is a Lutheran church in Leipzig, Germany, located at the western part of the inner city ring road in Leipzig's central district. Martin Luther preached in the church in 1539. It is associated with several well-known ...

, Leipziger Cantorey,

Staatskapelle Weimar The (DNT), or German National Theater and Weimar State Orchestra, is the most significant arts organization in Weimar. The institution unites the (German National Theater) with the (Weimar State Orchestra). It plays on a total of six stages ...

, direction: Thomaskantor

Georg Christoph Biller Georg Christoph Biller (20 September 1955 – 27 January 2022) was a German choral conductor. He conducted the Thomanerchor as the sixteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach from 1992 to 2015. He was also a baritone, an academic teacher, ...

) * Wasserpyramiden – Hommage à

Paul Klee Paul Klee (; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist. His highly individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Klee was a natural draftsman who experimented wi ...

(2015). Quartett für Englischhorn, Fagott, Viola und Gitarre (op. 206). Premiere 23 April 2015 Leipzig (

Museum der bildenden Künste The Museum der bildenden Künste (German: "Museum of Fine Arts") is a museum in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. It covers artworks from the Late Middle Ages to Modernity. History Museum Foundation and First Museum The museum dates back to the f ...

in Leipzig, Ensemble Sortisatio) * Die Winde des Sommers (Los vientos del verano) (2015) * SOLARIS – a jazz-symphonic poem (2015) * An der Arche um Acht (2016) * Agapanthe – Trio für Violine, Violoncello und Klavier (2016) * Sieben Arten den Regen zu beschreiben (2017) * Dreamscapes (2017). Musikalische Traumlandschaften für Jazz-Trio und Orchester. Premiere: 29 January 2018 Leipzig (Gewandhaus, Akademisches Orchester Leipzig, Stephan König (piano), Thomas Stahr (Kontrabass), Dominique Ehlert (Schlagzeug), direction: Horst Förster)

Recordings

* ''LeipJAZZig-Orkester'' Vol. 1/2 querstand 2005/2007) with the LeipJAZZig-Orkester (Ltg. Stephan König) // Ballade für Jazz-Orchester, Konzert für Klavier und Jazz-Orchester among others. * ''K3 – Die drei Klavierkonzerte'' (auris-subtilis 2008) with Stephan König (Klavier, Ltg.), der Jenaer Philharmonie, Hans Rotmann (Ltg.), dem Kammerorchester artentfaltung und dem LeipJAZZig-Orkester // Konzert für Klavier und Orchester, Konzert für Klavier und Kammerorchester, Konzert für Klavier und Jazz-Orchester * ''Hommage an Paul und Paula'' (aus dem Original-Soundtrack von Peter Gotthardt) [CDs/DVD] (Buschfunk (Musikverlag), Buschfunk 2010) * ''12 Préludes für Klavier – Jazzinspirierte Klangbilder op. 186'' (Friedrich Hofmeister Musikverlag 2010) * ''komm herein'' (Timezone (label), Timezone 2010) with the nurso-chanson * ''CHANSONetteS mit Bach'' ( 2012) with Ute Loeck (Chansonette),

(Thomaskantor) und Stephan König (pianio) * ''Bach in Jazz'' (Rondeau Production 2012) with the Stephan König-Trio and

(tenor) * Stern-Combo Meißen: ''Bilder Einer Ausstellung'' he Rock Version, Live, CD/DVD(Buschfunk 2015) with the Leipziger Symphonieorchester and the Landesjugendchor Sachsen (Ltg. Stephan König) * ''Bachfest Leipzig 2015 – Ausgewählte Höhepunkte'' (

2015) mit der Leipziger Cantorey, dem

Leipzig, der

and Georg Christoph Biller among others // Haddock

References

External links

* *
Stephan König
im Komponistenlexikon
Stephan-König-Trio
bei Rondeau Production
Stephan König
at the