Where do you study?

In Düsseldorf

Member of other orchestras or institutions: I currently play for the WDR Funkhausorchester in Cologne, Germany.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music?

I like to run, read and write.

At what age did you start playing your instrument?

When I was ten years old, I got my first chance to play the oboe. Before that, I had been playing around with bassoon reeds, which I always mistook for oboe reeds. They fascinated me, and I made lots of noise with them.

What was the most exciting concert you ever performed?

As an academician of the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra, I got to play a few times as Solo Cor Anglais. My very first time was in Verdi’s „Rigoletto“. I was so eager to play that I now only remember the excitement
before and the relief after, but not the solo itself.

What is your favourite piece of classical music?

I like everything written by Mozart, but I particularly enjoy his early piano concertos.

How did the last two Corona years influence your musical development?

Aside from my normal practice, the lockdown gave me a chance to think a lot about „support skills “, any kind of skill that only indirectly contributes to music making. I read a lot about posture, got certified as a mental coach and learned about the physics of my instrument. I also really missed playing on stage with
friends and colleagues, making me now enjoy it even more!

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with (from the past or the present)?

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin: he is an amazing musician with lots of interesting stories and thoughts and
owns a great sense of humour.