The German baritone, Arndt Schumacher studied Protestant Church music and then singing with Carola Keil at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Heidelberg (graduation "with distinction"). He undertook further studies with Professor Vera Scherr at the Staatlichen Hochschule für Musik Mannheim (Opera School) and with Heidrun Luchterhandt. In addition, he studied in the Lied class with Ulrich Eisenlohr and the subject of oratorio performance with Gerd Türk. He attended master-classes with Kammersänger Andreas Schmidt, Professor Rudolf Piernay, Professor Peter Ziethen and Professor Josef Protschka. He is the first winner of the "Inge-Pittler-Wettbewerb" for singing.
At the beginning of his career, Arndt Schumacher worked as a Kantor. Since 2005 he has been a permanent member of the WDR Rundfunkchor Köln and has worked with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Helmut Froschauer, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Enrico Delamboye, Leif Ove Andsnes and Péter Eötvös. Concert tours have included to New York (Carnegie Hall), London (Royal Albert Hall), Shanghai, Paris, Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Salzburg (Festival), Berlin (Philharmonie), Hamburg (Elbphilharmonie) and Lucerne (KKL). He can be heard regularly at the Kölner Philharmonie. He sang the role of Pilatus (St. John Passion) both in the semi-staged implementation with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln and with the Bamberger Symphoniker.
The high baritone is also active in the song and oratorio field. He appears regularly with Lieder programs and has, among other things. sung all three major song cycles ("Winterreise", "Die Schöne Müllerin" and "Schwanengesang") by Franz Schubert, "Dichterliebe" by Robert Schumann as well as "Vier ernges Gesänge" and "Die Schöne Magelone" by Johannes Brahms. As part of the chamber music series of the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, he performed the "Notturno" for baritone and string quartet by Othmar Schoeck with great success. The broad repertoire as an oratorio singer extends to modern pieces and world premieres, including works written especially for him.
Radio, television and CD recordings round off his extensive work. |