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The German organist and conductor, Michael Schönheit, studied organ, piano and conducting from 1978 until 1985 at the Hochschule für Musik "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" in Leipzig. He received his initial musical education from his father, Walter Schönheit, in Saalfeld and was a member of the Thüringer Sängerknaben. In 1984 he was a prize winner at the VII. International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig.
Michael Schönheit was organist and cantor in Saalfeld from 1985 until 1991. In 1986 he was appointed Gewandhausorganist. In this position he assumes artistic responsibility for the Gewandhaus organ concerts and thematic cycles, as well as collaborating with members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in the chamber music series and appearing as soloist with the Orchestra (on harpsichord)
In December of 1993, vocal students and graduates met for a performance of J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248) in the Historical Park of Bad Lachstädt, organized by Michael Schönheit. Following this successful performance, the young singers' enthusiasm led to the founding of the Collegium Vocale Leipzig. Since 1995 he has collaborated also with the Chursüchsische Capelle of Leipzig.
Michael Schönheit has been Artistic Director of the Merseburg Organ Festival since 1994, assuming the additional role of Merseburg Cathedral Organist in 1996. He supervised the substantial renovation of the cathedral organ, an instrument built by Friedrich Ladegast dating from 1855. In honour of the 300th anniversary of the death of Dietrich Buxtehude, he led the period instrument ensemble he founded in 1998, the Merseburger Hofmusik, and many renowned soloists in the performance of the north-German master's complete output of cantatas and organ music in the Gewandhaus. The three-year cycle came to its culmination on May 9, 2007.
Michael Schönheit is in great demand as soloist the world over, appearing across Europe, the USA and Japan. He has performed as soloist with orchestras such as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Münchner Philharmoniker and New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to name but a few.
In addition to working as an organist and conductor, Michael Schönheit has also made a name for himself as one of the world's leading exponents of the fortepiano. Since 2006 he plays a grand fortepiano made by John Broadwood in 1805. He has a teaching assignment at the Berlin Church Music School in Spandau and at the Meistersinger-Konservatorium in Nürnberg. He directs his own organ studio at the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg. He is also regularly active as a jury member at international organ competitions.
Countless radio and television broadcasts, as well as a substantial discography, document Michael Schönheit's diverse musical activities. 2005 saw the release on MDG of two highly acclaimed CD's of works of Franz Liszt, recorded on the organ of Merseburg Cathedral. These were followed in 2006 by a CD of those works of F. Liszt, Julius Reubke and Max Reger which had originally received their premiere on the organ of Merseburg Cathedral. A CD of works by Leipzig composers, performed on the Schuke organ in the Great Hall of the Gewandhaus, was released by Kamprad in 2007. His complete recording of Johann Ludwig Krebs's cantatas and his works for orchestra, was published in 2013. He has won the City of Gera art prize and the City of Leipzig critics' prize. He is the recipient of the Order of Merit of Saxony-Anhalt. |
