Andreas Scholl (DE)

At the age of seven, he was enrolled into the boys choir Kiedricher Chorbuben Aged 13, Scholl performed the role of the "second boy" in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. That same year he was one of 20,000 choristers from all over the world gathered in Rome for a festival, and was chosen to sing solo at Mass on 4 January 1981, where he met Pope John Paul II. Along with his fellow choristers of the Kiedricher Chorbuben, Scholl was an extra in the film The Name of the Rose, playing a young monk standing alongside Sean Connery in scenes shot at Eberbach Abbey, near Kiedrich. Just four years later, Scholl was offered a place at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, an institution that normally accepts only post-graduate students, based on the strength and quality of his voice. He has since become an instructor at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, succeeding his own teacher, Richard Levitt. At the Schola, Andreas Scholl's teacher was Richard Levitt, followed by Jacobs in his second year. In 1993 his teacher Jacobs fell ill and was unable to keep a concert commitment at the Théâtre de Grévin in France, and recommended Scholl as his replacement. Scholl scored a major success in what amounted to his professional debut on an important international stage. He appeared with Jacobs in a live broadcast concert of Bach's St. John Passion. Going home on the train that night, he met William Christie, who had attended the concert and invited Scholl to sing on his planned recording of Handel's Messiah. The success of that recording led to an extensive recording career for Scholl. In addition to the Diploma of Ancient Music, Andreas Scholl garnered prizes from the Council of Europe and the Claude Nicolas Ledoux Foundation, and awards from Switzerland's Association Migros and Ernst Göhner Foundation. Andreas Scholl has been teaching interpretation in the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, succeeding his own teacher, Richard Levitt, and is in much demand for master classes. Andreas Scholl is considered as one worldʼs greatest counter tenors.