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The Swiss conductor, organist, harpsicordist, pianist, and composer, Rudolf Lutz, received his musical training initially in Wintherthur and later Zürich and Vienna (organ with Jean-Claude Zehnder and Anton Heiller, piano with Christoph Lieske and conducting with Karl Oesterreicher).
Rudolf Lutz is organist of the St. Laurenzen Kirche in St. Gallen, a post he has held since 1973. He was also conductor of the St. Galler Kammerensemble, which he led between 1986 and 2010. From 1986 to 2008, he conducted the Bach-Chor St. Gallen. Lutz was appointed Artistic Director of the J.S. Bach Foundation of St. Gallen (J.S. Bach-Stiftung, St. Gallen) in 2006. In view of the foundation’s mission to perform J.S. Bach’s complete vocal works, Rudolf Lutz established the Choir and Orchestra of the J.S. Bach Foundation (formerly Schola Seconda Pratica).
Rudolf Lutz is a teacher for historical improvisation at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the University of Early Music in Basel; and in thorough-bass at the University of Music in Basel. From 1998 to 2008 he taught and a teacher of basso continuo, score playing and oratorio at the School of Music and Movement at the University of Zürich. He also taught at the Academy for Music Teachers and Church Music Lucerne.
Rudolf Lutz is a highly-sought specialist in historical improvisation techniques in classical forms for both concerts and workshops in his homeland and abroad. He is also active as a piano accompanist, harpsichordist and composer. In 2002, the world premiere of his oratorio An English Christmas was performed in the St. Laurenzen Kirche in St. Gallen to critical acclaim.
Rudolf Lutz has toured extensively in Switzerland and abroad and broadcast for Radio DRS (Switzerland) and South West German Radio. Examples for his wide-ranging musical interests include his many concerts, teaching at interpretation seminars, diverse compositions and chamber music performances in addition to playing the dulcimer in the original Appenzell string ensemble "Alpenglühn" and appearances as a jazz musician. Lutz has been working with Andrzej Kowalski for many years, both in concertos for violin and organ and as a salon-duo. In 1990 Andrzei Kowalski also appeared as a soloist in the Summer Concert of rhe St Gallen Chamber Ensemble.
Rudolf Lutz is in great demand for concerts and international symposiums on improvisation and performance practices. He is a regular guest lecturer and concert improviser at the “Conservatoire national supérieur musique et danse” in Lyon, the International Organ Academy in Romainmôtier, the “La Folia” festival in Rougemont and the Orpheus Institute in Gent. In late 2007, he was lecturer and improviser at a symposium on “European organ culture in the time of Mendelssohn” organised by the Bach Archive in Leipzig. In 2007, 2009 and 2011 he was invited to the renowned Bachwoche Ansbach as a performer and improviser.
In close cooperation with the “DRS II Kulturclub” and Dr. Arthur Godel, former director of Radio DRS II, Rudolf Lutz has led several literary-musical projects and liturgical symposiums. In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 he was invited by the “Kulturclub DRS” to be a guest speaker on the topic of Bach Cantatas. In 2006, Rudolf Lutz was awarded the culture prize of the canton of St. Gallen. |
