The former German boy soprano and alto and later conductor, Josef (Seppi) Kronwitter, received his first music instruction aged 5 years at the Sing- und Musikschule Bad Tölz. At nine he was accepted in the Tölzer Knabenchor and sang as first solist under conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Karl Böhm, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sergiu Celibidache and many others. He had solo appearances at the Salzburg, Bayreuth and Munich festivals as well as at many opera houses around Europe. In 1976 he recorded soprano solo parts with both Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt in their joint Bach Cantata cycle. That was the foundation-stone for the subsequent music study with speciality trumpet with Rolf Quinque at the Richard-Strauss-Konservatorium in Munich. Subsequently, he studied trumpet with Professor Lachenmeir and singing with Professor Grumbach at the University for Music, likewise in Munich.
Apart from his activity as music teacher at the schools of music in Bad Tölz and Ottobrunn, Josef Kronwitter has been conductor of the Tölzer Stadtkapelle (city brass band) for nearly 20 years. With great energy and commitment he dedicates himself to youth training. His achievements are such that the chapel gained in the meantime a wind orchestra with nearly 50 musicians. He also leads the Tölzer Big Band, which developed from musicians of the city brass band. The Tölzer Jugendkapelle (youth brass band) of Seppi Kronwitter has earned special praise and has 35 members. |