Michael Wollny

Michael Wollny ( born May 25, 1978 in Schweinfurt ) is a German jazz pianist. He is regarded as one of the emerging talents of the German and international jazz scene.

Life and work

Wollny had until 1997 a musical education (piano, violin) at the Music School Schweinfurt or at Hermann Zilcher Conservatory of Würzburg and successfully took part in the competitions of Young Musicians. From 1997 he studied at the University of Music Würzburg with Chris Beier ( Artistic diploma with distinction in 2002, master class diploma 2004). He also had lessons with John Taylor and Walter Norris.

Wollny was between 1998 and 2002 a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, with whom he went on tour. He plays since 2001 with Heinz Sauer in a duo or quartet. Equally successful he is with the trio [em ] ( with Eva Kruse, acting as bassist and Eric Schaefer on drums ). He was also on CD productions, inter alia, with the Young Friends, with Hubert Winter ( " Different Kind of Stories", 2003), but also Hans -Peter Salentin ( "Beyond Your Thoughts ", " Sound of Silence" ) and Nils Landgren ( " the Moon, the Stars and You", 2011) and numerous other albums published by ACT is involved and active as a pianist and musical assistant at the Schauspielhaus Nuremberg.

Since 2005 he is with the jazz label ACT under contract, where he debuted with his trio [em ] in the series " Young German Jazz".

In 2007 his highly critically acclaimed first solo album Hexentanz appeared.

Awards and prizes

Wollny has been awarded several grants and awards, as the Jazz Prize of the Nürnberger Nachrichten, 2007, the Culture Prize of the city of Schweinfurt in 2003, the Prize of the German Record Critics' Award ( for Melancholia (2005) with Heinz Sauer), the Bavarian Art Award in 2005 and the " Choc de l' ' annee 2006 " of the French jazz magazine Jazzman ( for Certain Beauty with Heinz Sauer). In 2008, he received together with Heinz Sauer SWR - Jazz Prize. 2010 was followed by the award of the ECHO Jazz in the division instrumentalist / in the year nationally - piano / keyboards.

[em ] were honored with the Ronnie Scott 's Jazz Award as " Most Promising Newcomer Of The Year International " in London in May 2007. In 2011, the trio was awarded the New German Jazz Award ( both as a band, as well as Michael Wollny as best soloist ) and the ECHO Jazz ensemble of the year nationally. 2013 received Wollny not only the price of the German Record Critics for his album Do not Explain - Live In Concert with Heinz Sauer, but also the Bavarian State Prize for music and with the trio [em ] national ECHO jazz ensemble of the year. Also in 2013 he was awarded, together with Heinz Sauer, endowed with 50,000 euros Binding Culture Award

Disco printing specifications (selection)

  • Iiro Rantala / Leszek Możdżer / Michael Wollny: Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic I
  • Wollny / Kriener / Leyh: CDNR3 (2001)
  • Heinz Sauer / Michael Wollny: Melancholia (2004)
  • Young Friends: Great German Songbook (2005)
  • Heinz Sauer / Michael Wollny: Certain Beauty (2006)
  • Michael Wollny: Piano Works VII: Witches Dance ( 2007)
  • Michael Wollny / Tamar Halperin: Wunderkammer (2009)
  • Joachim Kühn / Michael Wollny: live at Schloß Elmau (2009)
  • Heinz Sauer / Michael Wollny: Do not Explain - Live in Concert (2013 )
  • Michael Wollny Trio: Dream World (2014)
John Taylor (jazz) Nils Landgren (musician) Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik Discogs Integrated Authority File
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