Wolfgang Meyer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Wolfgang Meyer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wolfgang Meyer, c. 2004 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 13 August 1954 Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
| Died | 17 March 2019 (aged 64) Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Genres | Classical |
| Instrument | clarinet |
Wolfgang Meyer (13 August 1954 – 17 March 2019) was a German clarinetist and professor of clarinet at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe. He worked internationally as a soloist, in chamber music ensembles, and in jazz, with a repertoire from early music played on historical instruments to world premieres.
Meyer studied clarinet with Otto Hermann at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart from 1968 to 1972,[1][2] and then with Hans Deinzer at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover,[1] until 1978.[2] He studied along with his sister Sabine Meyer, with whom he also maintained a lifelong partnership professionally.[1] In 1975, he won the ARD International Music Competition in the category chamber music with the Syrinx Quintet.[3]
Meyer played as a soloist with a focus on contemporary music, including world premieres. In 1991, Jean Françaix dedicated his Double concerto pour flûte, clarinette et orchestre to flautist Dagmar Becker and Meyer. In 2008, he played the premiere of the work Levitation, which Peter Eötvös had composed for his sister and him.[2] He played earlier music on historical instruments, including a recording of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with Nikolaus Harnoncourt.[2] He was a member of the chamber music ensembles Trio di Clarone (with his sister and his brother-in-law Reiner Wehle),[3] and the Zemlinsky Trio, and played with the Carmina Quartett and the Quatuor Mosaïques.[2]
Meyer was professor of clarinet at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe from 1989 until 2016, serving as its director from 2001 to 2007.[1] Among his students were Alexander Bader and Alison Lambert. He led masterclasses in Brazil, Canada, Finland, Italy and Japan.[4]
He often played with jazz saxophonist Peter Lehel, recording six albums. In 2009, Meyer founded an association, KlangKunst in der Hemingway Lounge, to promote concerts of different genres in Karlsruhe. He played his last concert there with Lehel on 7 February 2019.[1] Meyer died of cancer at his home in Karlsruhe on 17 March 2019.[1][2]
