SOP Podcast #99 - Gerd Hennecke And Markus Kumpf - Passion, Teachers And Practice On Many Organs
Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #99!\n\nhttp://www.organduo.lt/podcast\n\nToday's guests are two organists from Bavaria in Germany, Gerd Hennecke and Markus Kumpf.\n\nWe met at Vilnius University St. John's church last week where a few days before Gerd played a concert of organ, vocal and oboe music together with soprano Gunta Gelgote and oboist Juste Gelgotaite.\n\nGerd kindly agreed to share his organ journey with our podcast listeners and even brought a friend Markus who was returning to Vilnius from another town, Nida, a UNESCO protected national treasure on the Curonian Spit in the Western part of Lithuania.\n\nBoth Gerd and Markus also played a joint recital this week in Vilkyskiai, a small town with the German organ about 250 kilometers west from Vilnius.\n\nGerd Hennecke was born in Schwabach, Germany, in 1970. After the completion of a degree in Sacred Music in Bayreuth, he undertook further studies of organ music with Domkantor Professor Hartmut Rohmeyer in L\xfcbeck. Since 1995 he worked as professional church musician in Augsburg and Wolfsburg. His current employment as organist and choirmaster with the Protestant \u201eChurch of Christ\u201c in Sulzbach-Rosenberg started in February, 2001. His work with several choirs and instrumental ensembles is widely acknowledged. In 2017, he was awarded the title of \u201eChurch Music Director\u201c (Kirchenmusikdirektor).\n\nIn 2001, Gerd founded the \u201eSulzbacher Kantorei\u201c choir, which over the years has performed numerous oratories and a-capella concerts, showing a repertoire ranging from the Renaissance up to the Modern Era. Furthermore, he is also working as organ expert and campanologist.\n\nSo in today's conversation, Gerd, Markus and I talk about their organist careers, the importance of having passion, good teachers and access to many different organs.\n\nEnjoy and share your comments below.\n\n\u200bAnd don't forget to help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.\n\nThanks for caring.\n\nYou can reach Gerd and Markus by email:\nGerd: kantorat.christuskirche.suro@elkb.de\nMarkus: kantorkumpf@gmx.de