Kai Schumacher

He took his first piano lessons at the age of five, made his first public appearance at the age of seven, and his debut with the Shostakovich Orchestra at the age of 15. ((But there was no interest in taking part in the “Jugend musiziert” festival. The piano remained his favourite toy and never became a piece of sports equipment)). After taking his school leaving exams, Kai Schumacher (born 1979) was accepted at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, even though up to that point he had been to more punk rock concerts than symphony concerts. He won the Folkwang special piano prize there in 2007, and was also awarded a prize by the Köhler Osbahr Foundation in the same year. He completed his studies with Prof. Till Engel with distinction, and also received further musical influences in Amsterdam with Guy Livingston and Andreas Reiner. A key focus area in Kai Schumacher’s solo repertoire is contemporary American piano music. Following many different European premieres, he is also working closely with many younger composers. Kai Schumacher avoids the traditional mechanisms in place to sponsor upcoming musical talent, as well as piano competitions. In cooperation with the Duisburg Philharmonic, he is currently working on new forms of concert presentation, blending classical and contemporary piano music with rock and electro-sounds, light and video installations into a collage that enchants both younger audiences and more seasoned concert-goers alike. Kai Schumacher regularly performs as a soloist with orchestras such as the Bergisch Symphony Orchestra, the Rhenish Philharmonic Koblenz and the Baden-Baden Philharmonic. As a pianist, he has performed with the Trio Kaliya and as a keyboard player with the indie/folk-band Mobilée.