Michael Kapsner

Michael Kapsner was born in 1961 in Passau. He studied organ, piano, conducting and church music in Vienna and Freiburg, his teachers were Michael Radulescu and Ludwig Doerr amongst others. After winning prizes in international competitions in Bruges (1979), Innsbruck (1983), Romainmôtier (1983) and Vienna (1984) Michael Kapsner won the Bach Prize Bruges in 1985.

From 1988 to 1994 Michael Kapsner worked as a church musician in Freiburg, where he managed the Gregorian Choral am Freiburg Münster. From 1993 to 1999 he was the artistic director of the Oratorio Choir, with whom he presented both standard works (e.g. Missa Solemnis and 9th Symphony by Beethoven) and less well-known pieces such as Les Béatitudes by César Franck, the 100th Psalm by Max Reger and Das Gesicht Jesajas by Willy Burkhard.

He has conducted ensembles such as the Wüttemberg Philharmonic, the Munich Symphonic, the Chamber Philharmonic Karlsruhe and the Regensburg Chamber Orchestra.

From 1994 to 2001 Michael Kapsner taught organ and liturgical organ at the Academy of Music in Trossingen. From October 2000 until the end of September 2004 he had the position of Professor of Organ and Improvisation at the University of Music and Arts in Graz. In October 2004 he accepted a post as Professor at The LISZT SCHOOL of Music Weimar.

Numerous concerts as organist/improvisator and jury activities in international competitions accompany his work as a teacher.