NAC Participants: Performers - Instrumentalists
Maximilian Bauer: guitarist
born in Nürnberg in 1992, has loved music from the age of 12. For him, music represents the most exciting and most beautiful parts of life. Max began private lessons for classical guitar with Rainer Swist, and it quickly became clear that he wanted to pursue a career as a musician. Since then he has practiced and continues to practice a lot. In 2011 he won in his category of the European-wide "Guitar Fight Club" contest, and won a local award for his guitar playing and participation various bands. In 2012 he was invited to the "Crossroads Contest" in Hamburg as a finalist, where he took workshops from Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Peter Wölpl and Mickey Meinert among others. Max and his friend Paul Ettl competed with their own compositions at the national level in the 2014 "Youth Making Music" contest.
Max studied composition briefly at the Folkwang University in Essen, and would now like to improve his skills as a jazz guitarist at the music conservatory. He would like to identitify himself has a cross-genre musician and is interested in everything that music has to offer - be it, jazz, gypsy, folk or rock.
NAC Projects: Just-So Stories (2014)
born in Nürnberg in 1992, has loved music from the age of 12. For him, music represents the most exciting and most beautiful parts of life. Max began private lessons for classical guitar with Rainer Swist, and it quickly became clear that he wanted to pursue a career as a musician. Since then he has practiced and continues to practice a lot. In 2011 he won in his category of the European-wide "Guitar Fight Club" contest, and won a local award for his guitar playing and participation various bands. In 2012 he was invited to the "Crossroads Contest" in Hamburg as a finalist, where he took workshops from Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Peter Wölpl and Mickey Meinert among others. Max and his friend Paul Ettl competed with their own compositions at the national level in the 2014 "Youth Making Music" contest.
Max studied composition briefly at the Folkwang University in Essen, and would now like to improve his skills as a jazz guitarist at the music conservatory. He would like to identitify himself has a cross-genre musician and is interested in everything that music has to offer - be it, jazz, gypsy, folk or rock.
NAC Projects: Just-So Stories (2014)
Simon Bielman: pianist & composer
has had several musical influences throughout his life: his father’s old jazz records, soundtracks to cartoon slapstick violence, his brother’s CDs of various string quartets, down-tempo house music on internet radio stations... However, he had no inclination to live through music until he’d heard performances of Rachmaninoff concertos, listened to the piano works of Ravel, and began to comprehend the depth and passion in the Shostakovich symphonies. This change happened when Simon was fifteen, a very late age for most musicians, but once music entered his life, there was no turning back. As cliché as it may sound, Simon did not choose a career in music – it chose him.
Throughout his life, Simon learned that music which moves us and inspires us will always be relevant, whether it was written yesterday or three hundred years ago. He looks back to different artists from different eras for ideas while at the same time looking forward to always make something new. Yet, he always strives to stay true to his roots and remember what inspired him: Mozart’s ideas and songs written by The Beatles may be old and out of fashion, but there is something that compels every generation to listen regardless of their age. Simon writes new music not for the sake of being new, but to inspire, regardless of where that inspiration comes from. Most of his pieces are for solo piano or small ensembles. He's always been drawn to music with a handful of performers because he enjoys seeing and hearing the artistry that individual musicians bring to their performances.
Simon earned his Bachelor’s degree at Western Oregon University where he studied piano under Dr. Diane Baxter and composition under Dr. Arnold Friedman, Dr. Joseph Harchanko, and Dr. Kevin Walczyk. He is a distinguished performer and composer, having won awards for performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 3 in c minor and the original work Paganini Variations for piano quartet. Simon currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Website: soundcloud.com/synival
NAC Projects: The Singing Butler (2017), The Child's Frightful Fantasy (2017), Kunstkino Bielbaum (2019)
has had several musical influences throughout his life: his father’s old jazz records, soundtracks to cartoon slapstick violence, his brother’s CDs of various string quartets, down-tempo house music on internet radio stations... However, he had no inclination to live through music until he’d heard performances of Rachmaninoff concertos, listened to the piano works of Ravel, and began to comprehend the depth and passion in the Shostakovich symphonies. This change happened when Simon was fifteen, a very late age for most musicians, but once music entered his life, there was no turning back. As cliché as it may sound, Simon did not choose a career in music – it chose him.
Throughout his life, Simon learned that music which moves us and inspires us will always be relevant, whether it was written yesterday or three hundred years ago. He looks back to different artists from different eras for ideas while at the same time looking forward to always make something new. Yet, he always strives to stay true to his roots and remember what inspired him: Mozart’s ideas and songs written by The Beatles may be old and out of fashion, but there is something that compels every generation to listen regardless of their age. Simon writes new music not for the sake of being new, but to inspire, regardless of where that inspiration comes from. Most of his pieces are for solo piano or small ensembles. He's always been drawn to music with a handful of performers because he enjoys seeing and hearing the artistry that individual musicians bring to their performances.
Simon earned his Bachelor’s degree at Western Oregon University where he studied piano under Dr. Diane Baxter and composition under Dr. Arnold Friedman, Dr. Joseph Harchanko, and Dr. Kevin Walczyk. He is a distinguished performer and composer, having won awards for performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 3 in c minor and the original work Paganini Variations for piano quartet. Simon currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Website: soundcloud.com/synival
NAC Projects: The Singing Butler (2017), The Child's Frightful Fantasy (2017), Kunstkino Bielbaum (2019)
Judith Damm: clarinetist
is a multifaceted musician and teacher. Her studies of elementary music under Professor Kotzian and clarinet under F. Löffler have given her a versatile experience with and approach to music. The connection of music, language and dance play a central role for her as a teacher, and also as an artist. Thanks to her study of music pedagogy, she is not only a skilled clarinetist, but also proficient in areas of percussion, voice and movement/dance.
Ms. Damm was born in Erlangen in 1991 and attended the Musical Christian-Ernst-High-School). Music and everything surrounding it fascinated Judith from an early age - from the beginning of her musical education during elementary school all the way through to her current program at the Music College in Nürnberg. Aside from wide-ranging offerings of required courses, electives and workshops at the Music College, Judith has taken advantage of various additional opportunities outside the institution: workshops, including the Symposium "Improvisation" in Ochsenhausen for example, and regular classes including contemporary dance with Ingo Schweiger. In addition, she collected a few social and musical souvenir-experiences during six weeks of travel in Ghana.
Following a stint as volunteer leader of the Children's Chorus of Thomasgemeinde Erlangen and clarinet instructor at the City Band of Heilsbronn, Judith currently teaches private clarinet lessons and also early childhood music education at the MusiCeum music school in Erlangen. As part of her undergraduate studies, she organized and lead the class "MUSIC has no care. Only flair and DARE!! - Making music in groups. For adults (ages 20-60)." Outside of her studies and pedagogical duties, Ms. Damm occasionally plays her clarinet for various projects, ensembles and bands.
NAC Projects: Just-So Stories (2014)
is a multifaceted musician and teacher. Her studies of elementary music under Professor Kotzian and clarinet under F. Löffler have given her a versatile experience with and approach to music. The connection of music, language and dance play a central role for her as a teacher, and also as an artist. Thanks to her study of music pedagogy, she is not only a skilled clarinetist, but also proficient in areas of percussion, voice and movement/dance.
Ms. Damm was born in Erlangen in 1991 and attended the Musical Christian-Ernst-High-School). Music and everything surrounding it fascinated Judith from an early age - from the beginning of her musical education during elementary school all the way through to her current program at the Music College in Nürnberg. Aside from wide-ranging offerings of required courses, electives and workshops at the Music College, Judith has taken advantage of various additional opportunities outside the institution: workshops, including the Symposium "Improvisation" in Ochsenhausen for example, and regular classes including contemporary dance with Ingo Schweiger. In addition, she collected a few social and musical souvenir-experiences during six weeks of travel in Ghana.
Following a stint as volunteer leader of the Children's Chorus of Thomasgemeinde Erlangen and clarinet instructor at the City Band of Heilsbronn, Judith currently teaches private clarinet lessons and also early childhood music education at the MusiCeum music school in Erlangen. As part of her undergraduate studies, she organized and lead the class "MUSIC has no care. Only flair and DARE!! - Making music in groups. For adults (ages 20-60)." Outside of her studies and pedagogical duties, Ms. Damm occasionally plays her clarinet for various projects, ensembles and bands.
NAC Projects: Just-So Stories (2014)
lautten compagney BERLIN: baroque orchestra
Website: https://www.lauttencompagney.de
NAC Projects: I look forward to my death/#REDEMPTION (2020)
Website: https://www.lauttencompagney.de
NAC Projects: I look forward to my death/#REDEMPTION (2020)
Brian Thomas: pianist
Brian Thomas has been performing with Ping & Woof Opera since it began in 2014. His past shows include Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, the Opera Highlights Fundraiser Concert, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer. He will be joining them again in February 2018, as they reprise the Brahms at The Old Church on Valentines Day. In addition to music he also enjoys playing Bridge and bowling.
NAC Projects: Stabat Mater (2017), The Child's Frightful Fantasy (2017), Garden Party (2018)
Brian Thomas has been performing with Ping & Woof Opera since it began in 2014. His past shows include Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, the Opera Highlights Fundraiser Concert, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer. He will be joining them again in February 2018, as they reprise the Brahms at The Old Church on Valentines Day. In addition to music he also enjoys playing Bridge and bowling.
NAC Projects: Stabat Mater (2017), The Child's Frightful Fantasy (2017), Garden Party (2018)
