Manuel Helmeke (Bass, Choral Conductor)

Born: 1988 - Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

The German bass and choral conductor, Manuel Helmeke, sang already in early childhood in the children's choir of his parish. At the Musik- und Kunstschule Adam-Ileborgh he received lessons in the subjects singing, piano and organ. In 2008 he was a federal award winner at the competition 'Jugend musiziert'.studied singing and music education with Professor Berthold Schmid and Professor Roland Schubert at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" in Leipzig, obtaining singer and music education diplomas in 2014.

Since 2015, Manuel Helmeke is the bass of the internationally award-winning Calmus Ensemble Leipzig. In this formation, numerous concerts have already taken him through large parts of Europe as well as to Asia, North and South America. In addition to his work as a singer, he teaches singing in Leipzig.

Already during his studies Manuel Helmeke gained plenty of stage experience. Engagements led him to the Oper Leipzig (Lamp Spirit in Aladin und die Wunderlampe) as well as to the Theater Gera/Altenburg (Perchik in Anatevka / Fiorillo in The Barbier of Sevilla). On the opera stage of the Leipziger Musikhochschule, he presented himself as Superintendent Budd in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring, in the Baroque opera Kommt Alleugleich by C. Förster and as Sarastro in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.

In concert, Manuel Helmeke has a wide repertoire and has performed as a soloist with renowned ensembles such as the Thomanerchor Leipzig, MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Rundfunk-Jugendchor Wernigerode, Staatskapelle Halle and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. In addition, he sang in CD productions of the Leipzig Gewandhaus and radio broadcasts at Deutschlandradio Kultur and MDR Kultur. From 2012 to 2014 he was a member of the Ensemble Thios Omilos.

Manuel Helmeke developed an additional passion in the field of choral conducting. He is a regular initiator of choir projects. In 2014-2015 he conducted the modern oratorio David - Sänger, König und Poet by K. Heizmann in Germany-wide concerts, which attracted more than 7,500 spectators. He currently lives in Leipzig, Germany.

Source: Manuel Helmeke Website & Facebook profile, English translation by Aryeh Oron (January 2019); Photo 002, 014, 015: Anne Hornemann
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (January 2019)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Konstanze Beyer

Bass

[CV-3] (2013, Video): BWV 162

Calmus Ensemble Leipzig

Bass

[F2020-M1/2] [V-6] (2020, Video): Chorales BWV 370, BWV 197/10, BWV 298, BWV 177/5, BWV 245/5, BWV 248/6/6(59)
[F2020-M1/3] [V-7] (2020, Video): BWV 229, BWV 230, BWV 225

Ron-Dirk Entleutner

Bass

[V-1] (2016, Video): BWV 245 [Jesus]

Links to other Sites

Manuel Helmeke (Official Website) [German]
Manuel Helmeke on Facebook