BACKGROUND

During childhood, Volkmar Zimmermann started with classical piano.
Later on, his interest in the guitar carried him through blues, folk, flamenco, rock, jazz and classical. He became adept on both acoustic and electric guitar. V.Z. played in a number of bands, and was an active participant in the German mobile music theatre troupe Tant&Talmi.
In the late seventies V.Z. worked with pianist and composer Matthias Frey as member of the rock-jazz group PSI.

STUDIES

V.Z. studied with Olaf Van Gonnissen at Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt am Main and with Lars Trier at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen.
Additionally, V.Z. has participated in master-classes offered a.o. by Frankfurter Gitarrenduo (Michael Teuchert and Olaf Van Gonnissen) and John Williams.

MUSICIANSHIP

V.Z.’s musicianship spans various genres and styles. He has been performing extensively in Europe, Russia, the United States and Canada. He has participated in many studio sessions and international radio and television productions, and has performed with musicians such as Matthias Frey, Ester Poli, Leopoldo Saracino, Alicia Petronilli and Pepe Ferrer, Johan Olsen and with orchestras such as St.Christopher Chamber Orchestra of Vilnius , the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra and the Hermitage Orchestra of St.Petersburg.

V.Z. is member and co-founder of the Corona Guitar Kvartet and the Sommer/Zimmermann Guitar Duo. His work as soloist includes collaborations with choirs such as Lithuanian Jauna Muzika and Danish Kammerkoret Musica.
V.Z. has premiered chamber works by Jonas Tamulionis, Østen Mikal Ore, John Frandsen, Hans-Henrik Nordstrøm, Dan Marmorstein, Ole Buck, Eva Noer Kondrup, Hannu Pohjannoro, Dorothy Hindman, Charles Norman Mason, Pepe Ferrer, Cornelia Zimanowski, Franco Sbacco, Hsueh Yung-Shen, Faye-Ellen Silverman, Carson Cooman, Fred Frith and many other composers. He has made LP/CD recordings for labels such as Bellaphon, Classico, Tutl, Songbird/EMI, Panoptikum and Albany.

CURRENT PROJECTS

- V.Z. is co-founder and member of the Corona Guitar Kvartet, MySpace/Corona Guitar Kvartet
. …read more under “Projects”

- V.Z. is working on the performance of music for solo guitar and choir in collaboration with Swedish conductor Roland Haraldson.
…read more under “Projects”

- Furthermore V.Z. has etablished a duo with Danish soprano singer Sara Fiil, inspired by a fellow collaboration with Danish poet and multiinstrumentalist Martin Hall in 2008.

MISCELLANEOUS

V.Z. has in the past formed guitar duos with guitarist Jan Sommer (Sommer/Zimmermann Guitar Duo) and – earlier – with guitarist Morten Ridder.
In 2009 V.Z. finished the work as researcher, interviewer and photographer on the documentary “Længe Leve Enver Hoxha” in close collaboration with Danish film director Joachim Nielsen .

LECTURING

The following list shows Volkmar Zimmermann’s activities as a music teacher
– Currently teaching at a the Albertslund Music School, Albertslund/Denmark.
– Has been teaching at the Copenhagen Day and Evening University College of Teachers Education and at the Haslev College of Education, Haslev/Denmark.
– Presented master classes (as member of Corona Guitar Kvartet) at, among other places, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn/Estonia and Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama/United States as well as at international guitar festivals in Montreal,Quebec/Canada, Rouyn-Noranda-Quebec/Canada, Vilnius/Lithuania and Riga/Latvia.

Faye-Ellen Silverman – Transatlantic Tales Released - 2011 Including Bonus Video: SPOR/Processional, a film by Nike Arnold and Clara Bausch, music performed by Volkmar Zimmermann Watch Albany Records Promo Video ’3 Guitars’ Volkmar Zimmermann/Corona Guitar Kvartet/Syzygy – with Sara Fiil, Ninnie Isaksson and Jan Lund CD 2011, Albany TROY 1250 Download

MARTIN HALL: HOSPITAL CAFETERIAS Released - 2009 Feat. Claus Beck-Nielsen Memorial, Else Marie Pade, Marquis Marcel de Sade, Knud Odde, Andrea Pellegrini, Christian Skeel, Miss Fish, Casper Clausen, Herbert Zeichner, Mikkel Meyer, Sara Fiil, Volkmar Zimmermann, Katja Andersson, Johnny Stage, The Vista Dome Ensemble CD 2009, Panoptikon – OPTIK 15

CORONA GUITAR KVARTET: J.S.BACH, RAVEL, MORLEY, HSUEH-YUNG SHEN, PIAZZOLLA Released - 2008 Including bonus video: Tico Tico no Fubá (Zequinha Abreu) Corona Guitar Kvartet CD 2008, Albany TROY 1084 Download pressemeddelelse

Jonas Tamulionis selected compositions for guitars Released - 2005 Corona Guitar Kvartet/Duo Lapoli CD 2005, Albany TROY811 Download

Northpoints Released - 2003 Corona Guitar Kvartet CD 2003, Tutl/IRISCD 0301 Video on youtube Download

Carl Maria von Weber – Meine Lieder, meine Sänge Released - 2002 Signe Asmussen (mezzo-soprano), Jan Sommer(guitar), with Volkmar Zimmermann (guitar) CD 2002, Classico CLASSCD 410 Download

Just Before The Dawn Released - 2001 Corona Guitar Kvartet/Dan Marmorstein CD 2001, Tutl FKT 17 Download

Hjemstavnssangen Released - 1990 Music&lyrics: Morten Praëm keyboard&harp: Morten Praëm, guitars: V.Z., Sax: Rasmus Kjærsgård, bass: Nikolaj Land, drums: Bo Pedersen, vocals: Christian Land, Trine Røttig, Jacob Leisin, Lasse Lindorff, Hlin Thorsteinsdottir, Ursula Bach, V.Z.,Lars-Bo Kjær, Morten Praëm, Lotte Sabroe + Diana, Krishna, Lotte, Van Anh, Diana and Sofie.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Single Vinyl 1990/CD 2004, Jingle JungleMpMusic Buy on ITunes

PSI – Horizonte Released - 1977 LP 1977, Bacillus/Bellaphon BAC 2049 http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=7322

FAYE-ELLEN SILVERMAN: THE WINGS OF NIGHT (2008) – for guitar and mixed choir (excerpts)

VZ with Vilnius Municipal Choir Jauna Muzika, conducted by Roland Haraldson. World premiere performance 15.05.2009 at St.Catherine’s Church, Vilnius, Lithuania. Recorded by Lithuanian National Radio LRT.

I. Wild Nights! Wild Nights! (Text by Emily Dickinson)
Nakties sparnai_1
II. Cofort-Killing Night (Text by William Shakespeare, from ‘The Rape of Lucrece’)
Nakties sparnai_3
IV. The Night Before the Battle (Text by William Shakespeare, Henry V: Act IV Prologue)
Nakties sparnai_6

JONAS TAMULIONIS: SUITE DE LOS ESPEJOS, op.288 (2003) – for guitar and mixed choir

VZ with Vilnius Municipal Choir Jauna Muzika, conducted by Roland Haraldson. European premiere performance 15.05.2009 at St.Catherine’s Church, Vilnius, Lithuania. Recorded by Lithuanian National Radio LRT.
Lyrics by Frederico Garcia Lorca
Nakties sparnai_9 (0).Vilnius 2009.p
Nakties sparnai_11
Nakties sparnai_13
Nakties sparnai_15
Nakties sparnai_17

MARTIN HALL: LIED ZWEI (2009)

Sara Fiil/Volkmar Zimmermann/Mikkel Meyer – guitar arrangement written by VZ, vocal interpretation by Sara Fiil, original recording by Peter Helms, post-production and remix by Mikkel Meyer – from album “Hospital Cafeterias” by Martin Hall (Panoptikum Optik 15, 2009)

Martin Hall: Lied Zwei

HSUEH YUNG-SHEN: POLAR NIGHTS (FOR 4 GUITARS) (2008)

Corona Guitar Kvartet, from album “Corona Guitar Kvartet” (Albany Troy 1084, 2008)
Hsueh Yung Shen: Polar Nights

MARTIN HALL: 2 MORE SONGS (2008)

Sara Fiil: soprano, VZ: guitar, vocals&arr./recorded by Peter Helms, Copenhagen 2008.

1. An Attempt of Interruption
An Attempt of Interruption
2. Leathern
leathern

OLE BUCK: CONCERTO FOR 2 GUITARS AND ORCHESTRA (2007)

Sommer/Zimmermann Guitar Duo with Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Martins Ozolins. World premiere performance 02.03.07 at Vilnius Congress Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania.
OLE BUCK: CONCERTO, 2 GUITARS AND ORCHESTRA

JONAS TAMULIONIS: PERPETUUM MOBILE (for 3 guitars) (2005)

VZ, Ester Poli og Leopoldo Saracino, from album “Jonas Tamulionis-selected compositions for guitars” (Albany Troy 811, 2005)
“Perpetuum Mobile” by Jonas Tamulionis

JONAS TAMULIONIS: PER SUONARE A QUATTRO (FOR 4 GUITARS) (2005)

Corona Guitar Kvartet, from album “Jonas Tamulionis – selected compositions for guitars” (Albany Troy 811, 2005)
per suonare a quattro 1
tamu 2
Tamu 3
Tamu 4
Tamu 5

CARL MARIA VON WEBER: 4 DUOS (FOR 2 GUITARS) (2002)

Sommer/Zimmermann Guitar Duo, from album “Meine Lieder, meine Sänge” (Classico 410, 2002)
Weber 1
Weber 2
Weber 3
Weber 4

MORTEN PRAEM: VENSKABSSANGEN (1990)

from single “Hjemstavnssangen/Venskabssangen”, Morten Praem MpMusic, ADD 1990/2004
venskabssangen

PSI: HORIZONTE (1977)

ProgArchives 01-unter-der-schurze-liegt-die-wurze 02-bettgerausche 03-horizonte 04-elektrisch-kall-heinzje 05-urschrei 06-breikopf 07-a-drall-b-arkadash

CORONA GUITAR KVARTET

Visit CGK’s site on MySpace

Visit CGK’s website

 

GUITAR & CHOIR

In 2006, Volkmar Zimmermann and Swedish conductor Roland Haraldson initiated this evocative collaboration around the exiting combination of solo guitar and mixed choir. The crisp, slightly percussive sound of the guitar nicely counterbalances the choir’s long and gentle lines. Apart from Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s famous suite Romancero Gitano the repertoire consists mainly of works by contemporary composers such as Jonas Tamulionis including commissioned compositions by a.o. Faye-Ellen Silverman, Ib Nørholm, Peter Bruun, Jim Clarke, Peter Helms and Hsueh Yung-Shen. Concerts with the Copenhagen-based Kammerkoret Musica and Lithuania’s leading choir Jauna Muzikahave proven the artistic value of a combination of guitar and mixed choir. The immanent problem of dynamic balance between choir and guitar is here solved by the use of a handcrafted amplifier for classical guitar which preserves the natural sound of the instrument. The amplifier is built by luthier Stephan Schlemper .

 

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