Michael Koehler is a most sought after conductor. An accomplished Maestro, he is propelling between Europa, America, and Asia. His innovativeness and music dedication enrich musical life. The dark and warm sound of his orchestras, much praised today, has grown from the German tradition. Michael Koehler was recommended by the best musicians of today's music life. With his broad profile in symphony concert, opera, and ancient music, he is empowering long-lasting relations with both orchestras and audience.

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MICHAEL

KOEHLER

ABOUT

WHAT I DO

LEIPZIG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA                Germany

The Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra sets standard for excellence in musical performance at home and around the world. The Orchestra enriches and serves cultural life throughout the country and gains enormous public recognition. The dark and warm sound of the Orchestra, much praised today, has grown from the German tradition. The Orchestra performs an extensive repertoire covering works from baroque to modern age. Every year it prepares diverse concert programmes which are performed first in Leipzig, and then on concert tours in the major concert halls of USA, Italy, Sweden, Russia, China, South Korea, India and Latin America..  Michael Koehler is the Artistic Director and Music Director.  MORE...

SHANXI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA               China

The Shanxi Symphony Orchestra is one of the earliest orchestras in modern China. The orchestra is an independent professional symphony orchestra and the only professional symphony orchestra in the Shanxi province. The orchestra maintains long-term cooperative relations with many famous musicians at home and abroad, and famous Chinese and foreign conductors. In recent years, it has particularly worked closely with famous composer Wang Xi Lin: the Symphony Suite "Yellow River Mural" by Wang Xi Lin won the "Best Classical Original Award 2018", which is known as the Chinese Grammy and recognized by the international music industry. Maestro Michael Koehler is the General Music Director.  MORE...

LET´S MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER

Maestro Michael Koehler is renowned for excellence in musical performances around the world. His unique concerts enriche cultural life and gain enormous public recognition. The dark and warm sound of his orchestras, much praised today, has grown from the German tradition. Michael Koehler has performed across the globe and dedicates his efforts to music. He has performed at the Berlin Philharmonie, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Leipzig Opera House, Stuttgart Liederhalle, Frankfurt HR Concert Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Brahms-Saal Karlsruhe, Carnegie Hall NYC, Chicago Harris Theatre, Boston Symphony Hall, Teatro Massimo Bellini (Italy), Auditorio de Galicia (Spain), Royal Festival Stockholm, St. Petersburg Grand Philharmonic Hall, House of Music Moscow, Bayreuth Opera House, Beijing Hall of the People, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Guangzhou Concert Hall, Chengdu Pride Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center, GwangJu Concert Hall, Seoul Opera House,  New Delhi National Stadium, Mumbai National Center of the Performing Arts and Bangalore Chowdiah Hall i.e.

UNIVERSITY OF MUSIC LEIPZIG                              Germany

"FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY"

The University of Music and Drama Leipzig is dedicated to the professional training of musicians, music teachers and actors at the highest international level. Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatorium der Musik (Conservatory of Music), it is the oldest university school of music in Germany. Mendelssohn's first draft concept from 1840 explicitly addresses the dangers of narrow technical drill and emphasises the importance of comprehensive artistic education in forming thinking musicians. This principle is as central to the ideals and values today as it was in Mendelssohn's day.. The University is dedicated to comprehensive artistic education since 1843. Dr. Michael Koehler was head of the orchestra and  is currently teaching major orchestra conducting.

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SAI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA                         India

The Sai Symphony Orchestra  was founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in India. The orchestra performs western classical compositions and west-eastern fusion music in India and abroad. The Orchestra and choir consists on 126 musicians from 16 countries. Recently, the Sai Symphony by German composer Mike Herting was dedicated to this orchestra and premiered in India, Germany and China. It is a composition commissioned by the Sathya Sai Baba Trust in order to celebrate Swamis 90th birthday. In five movements, Sai Babas life, his teachings and doings are reflected.. Some of the most renown musicians from India took part in these concerts, namely Guru Karaikuddi Mani on Mridangam, Shashank on Flute, Debarshish Battajarjee on Indian Slide Guitar, plus many others. Its principal themes are “Love All, Serve All” and “Help Ever, Hurt Never”.  MORE...

ABOUT MICHAEL KOEHLER

EXPLORE

Maestro Michael Koehler was born in the musical city of Dresden, Germany. After spending his early years in Dresden as solo pianist, he studied sound engineering and orchestra conducting in Berlin. After his graduation from the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" Berlin (class of GMD Prof. Rolf Reuter, Berlin State Opera) he continued his studies with Maestro Sergiu Celibidache in Munich and at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. He participated in master-classes with Kurt Masur, Gerd Albrecht, Rolf Reuter and at the Yehudi-Menuhin-Academy, Gstaad among others.

Radio and TV like ARD, ZDF, RTL, RAI, Russian TV 1, CCTV, Indian National TV i.e. have covered his activities. He has conducted numerous orchestras across in Europe, Asia and America (USA, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Russia, China, South Korea, India, Brasil, Mexico and Latin America). His music was released at Sony Music, Naxos, Kuke and Sommo.

Michael Koehler is presenting brilliant concerts as the Artistic Director and Music Director of the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra since 2000. The audiences have been drawn by his imagination and innovativeness. In 2008, he was chosen as the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra. He was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Festival Internazionale della Cultura in Bergamo (Italy). In 2010 he was appointed conductor and professor at the SMU University in Seoul (Korea). In 2019, he was appointed General Music Director of the Shanxi Symphony Orchestra in Taiyuan/China. In 2022, he appeared at the National Music Festival of the USA conducting a brilliant performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10.

He regularly accompanies renowned and internationally recognized soloists of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Staatskapelle and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Guy Braunstein, Lothar Strauß, Christian Funke and Michael Barenboim). Recent recordings are released by Sony Music. Frequently, he is conducting great operas like Carmen, L´elisir d´amore, La traviata, Il trovatore, Turandot, Tosca i.e. in Spain, South Korea, China and Mexico.

In addition to his performing career, he dedicates a part of his time to teaching. Since 1998, he has been working at the Leipzig University of Music and Drama „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ as Head of the Orchestra, Orchestra Conductor and teacher.  He wrote his thesis in musicology at the Humboldt University of Berlin and was conferred the title of Doctor Philosophiae in 2000. In 2017, he was appointed professor at the Shanxi University in Taiyuan/China. In 2022, he is nominated for OPUS KLASSIK 2022 - the most prestigious prize for classical music in Germany.

His activities were supported by grants from the German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Federal Government Minister for Culture and the Media Monika Grütters and the German Music Council, the German Federal Cultural Foundation, the Cultural Foundation of Saxony, the City of Leipzig and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

23 November 2017

Appointed Professor at Taiyuan University

2010

Appointed Professor at Seoul

2009

Principal Guest Conductor at Milano/Bergamo

October 2004

Teacher for major orchestra conducting

2002

Head of the Orchestra of the University of Music Leipzig

December 1998

Doctorate at Humboldt University Berlin

01 March 2019

General Music Director at Shanxi Symphony Orchestra

June 2012

Debut at Russia/St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall

September 2010

Debut at USA/Carnegie Hall - NYC

April 2007

Foundation of the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra

May 2003

Debut in China/Chengdu

December 2000

Foundation of the Kammerphilharmonie Leipzig

October 1998

Conductor at University of Music Leipzig

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