Benjamin Scheuer
composer, musician
Benjamin Scheuer (*1987) studied composition at the HfMT Hamburg with Fredrik Schwenk from 2006 – 2011. At present he is enrolled in post graduate studies with Wolfgang Rihm at the HfM Karlsruhe. Additionally he had lessons at the HfM Lübeck with Dieter Mack (2004-2006) and at the CNSMD de Lyon with Robert Pascal (2009-2010). His works cover all different kinds of formations including vocal music, chamber music and orchestra pieces. He had his first portrait concert at the age of 16 at the Youth Music School of Hamburg. His creative activity is focused on innovative but clearly recognisable form concepts and on the humoristic and theatrical elements of musicianship. Therefore he wrote many music theatre pieces, for instance “Figlioli Corsi” which was premiered in 2005 and the scenic cantata “Autobus S” which was first be performed on stage in April 2011. In his instrumental works he also implements scenic elements or a close relationship to literature, as in his staged concert “Theater der Affekte” (2011). For the years 2010 and 2011 he holds a scholarship of the “Jerwood Opera Writing Programme” (Aldeburgh, UK).
His compositions were performed at various festivals, like “Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker” where he was composer in residence in 2009, “Heidelberger Frühling” (2010), the “Young Composers Meetings Apeldoorn” (2007, 2011), on a china tour of the “Ensemble 21 der HfMT Hamburg” (2009), the ISCM World New Music Days (Sydney, 2010) and at “It’s oh so choir” of the AGEC (Brussels, 2010). At a workshop of the “June in Buffalo” (USA, Arditti quartet) and at the International Composers Meeting of Mazsalaca (Latvia, ReDo-quartet) he worked at pieces for string quartet. He got several commissions as from the “Niedersächsische Musiktage”, the Swabian Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Ensemble Vocal (Hamburg). His orchestra piece “Montagen” was first performed by the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of Saarland (SR) conducted by Johannes Kalitzke in May 2011.
With his woodwind quintet “Nachklänge” he won the composition competition of the National German Music Council (DMW, 2011). Additionally he received the 1st price at the international composition competition “Alphorn in Concert” (Switzerland, 2006), the “Andreas-Werckmeister”-price of the city of Halberstadt (2008), the promotion price of the 8th “Carl-von-Ossietzky”-composition competition (Oldenburg, 2009) and the 3rd international price “Premio Atahualpa Yupanqui” (Argentina, 2009). Since 2009 he has a scholarship of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes. He is founding member of “Musicians without borders”: In august 2008, 2009 and 2011 he travelled to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he lived in a slum and volunteered as music teacher and composer.