|
The German choral conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Ulrich Schicha, was born in Upper Silesia, the son of a clergyman and grew after the war in Elsterwerda. He studied church music in Dresden (with Martin Flämig) and Halle (Saale) and later choral conducting in Berlin.
Ulrich Schicha’s first post as a church musician was in Elsterwerda. In 1971, Martin Flämig was elected as Kreuzkantor and he called his former student, Ulrich Schicha to be his assistant. First Schicha practiced the Dresdner Kreuzchor in addition to his position as Kantor in Elsterwerda, from the mid 1970's he moved to full time activity with the Dresdner Kreuzchor.
Here Ulrich Schicha worked hard for the quality of the Dresdner Kreuzchor, especially with the boys choir. His human skills and great care in designing the rehersals and the choir were everyday life for the choir and also for Martin Flämig almost indispensable. With detailed knowledge of the choir, he wrote several compositions, some of which have still their place in the repertoire of the Dresdner Kreuzchor. Although he had done what many Crucian, parents and staff considered as the real "carman-work" for the choir, with admirable dedication and hard work, his work remained largely hidden from the public. He was known to the Dresden audience, only because in case of Martin Flämig’s illnnes or absence, he directed the Vespers concerts. Excessive self-presentation in the spotlight did not correspond to his nature.
With increasing age of the Kreuzkantor, Ulrich Schicha had to step in to replace him or more often in the conducting of the choir, often very quickly and spontaneously. After Martin Flämig’s resignation in December 1990, Schicha led the choir in the summer of 1991. Whether he himself had ambitions of becoming Kreuzkantorat, was always open; an official application of him does not exist. After several weeks with various applicant, Gothart Stier was elected in September 1991 as Kreuzkantor.
Ulrich Schicha appeared simultaneously on the Kantorenstelle in Dresden-Prohlis, continued his teaching composition at the Dresdner Musikhochschule and worked as a lecturer in choral conducting and score reading at the Dresdner Hochschule für Kirchenmusik.
In 1992, Ulrich Schicha was elected as successor to Karl Frotscher as Kantor of the Martin-Luther-Kirche in Dresden-Neustadt. A serious illness, however, prevented his taking office. In July 1993 he died at the age of 58 and was under great concern of the Dresden musicians and music lovers, and his former municipalities of Crucian buried in the cemetery in Dresden-Lockwitz. |
