JOEY CALDERAZZO

PETRONEL MALAN

ALEXANDER PALEY

CLEMENS UNTERREINER

OVIDIO DE FERRARI

MIKHAIL PLETNEV

 

From 2006 Susann Kobus was a student at the University of Music in Cologne, where she worked under the guidance of Prof. Dr. h.c. Arbo Valdma. In 2009 she obtained her Diploma at the University of Music in Cologne. Now she makes her doctor`s degree in Music at the “Westfälische Wilhelms-University” in Münster. Susann Kobus' repertoire is extensive and includes works from composers of the 20 th century. The most time she applies oneself to classical and romantical piano works. As a young artist, Susann Kobus has already won several prizes in International Master Classes und Competitions. In September 2004 she was very successful at the International Master Class with Barbara Moser during the “Austrian Masterclasses” in Zell an der Pram. She won the First Prize of “La Fondazione Antonio Salieri di Legnano”, which included the opportunity to go on a tour as a soloist in 2004-2005 in Italy, Germany and The Netherlands. Susann Kobus regularly participates in Master Classes with Prof. Arnulf von Arnim, Prof. Galina Iwanzowa, Prof. Wieslaw Piekos, Prof. Manfred Wagner-Artzt und bei Prof. Amadeus Webersinke.

In 1999 Susann Kobus won first prize in the piano solo section of the German National Music Competition “Jugend musiziert”. She was a prize winner of the Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau (Germany) in 2002. In 2003 Susann won second prize in the piano accompaniment section of the National Competition “Jugend musiziert” and participated successfully at the International Competition “Grotrian - Steinweg” in Braunschweig (Germany) in the same year. In 2004 she won first prize of the National Competition “Jugend musiziert” in the piano accompaniment section. In 2005 Susann Kobus won the “Piano NEWS –Preis“ oft he “Hommage an Frédéric Chopin” of the Anton Rubinstein Akademie in Düsseldorf.

She is also invited to give concerts in well known Festivals such as “Dresdner Musikfestspiele” im Schloss Pillnitz/ Dresden and “Schleswig-Holstein-Musik-Festival” in Lübeck.

Susann gave concerts in Germany and abroad as a soloist and chamber musician, for example in Prague, Paris, London, Verona, Krakow, Warsaw, La Valletta, Cologne, Münster and Dresden. She also played as a soloist with Haydnorchester Dresden under direction of KV Klaus Fritzsche and with Pärnu City Orchestra (Estonia) under direction of Paul Mägi.

Further she is actively successful in chamber music. In 2004 she won second prize of the National Competition “Jugend musiziert” with Duo “Fiorente” with the flutist Berit Schmutzler. The Duo “Fiorente” participated in Master Classes of Professor Irmela Boßler and Sabine Kittel. Susann Kobus also played in the piano trio “Sonoro”, which was founded in 2002 under the direction of Professor Helmuth Branny, a member of the “Sächsische Staatskapelle” Orchestra in Dresden. In May 2003 the piano trio participated in the International Competition for Chamber Music in Heerlen (Netherlands) and was very successful against other musicians seven years older than the trio. The piano trio won third prize of the National Competition “Jugend musiziert” in 2004. In February 2004 the piano trio participated in a Chamber Music Master Class of Sir Colin Davis, conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Further Susann Kobus plays in the Duo “Affettuoso” with the cellist Lorena Nitsch.

Susann regularly gives concerts in Germany and abroad as a soloist and chamber musician.

From 2006 to 2009 Susann Kobus had a piano class at a Music School in Dormagen and from 2008 to 2010 she was a répétiteur at the University of Music in Cologne. From 2009 to 2011 she had a class at the Städtischen Musikschule in Menden (Sauerland) and gave lessons in piano, chamber music and music theory. Since 2009 Susann Kobus has a piano class at the Westfälischen Schule für Musik in Münster

 

Historical Composers & Artists

"After my coffee and cigar we went to one of the recording rooms where they had a Blüthner piano Well, this Blüthner had the most beautiful singing tone I had ever found. I became quite enthusiastic and decided to play my beloved Barcarolle of Chopin. The piano inspired me. I don’t think I ever played better in my life.“

Arthur Rubinstein 

„My Many Years“ (page 281)

 

„In das Exil nach Amerika begleiteten mich nur zwei Wesen von Bedeutung: meine Frau Natalja und mein kostbarer Blüthner.“

“There are only two important things which I took with me on my way to America. My wife Natalia and my precious Blüthner.”

Sergei Rachmaninoff

 

 “Almost in the middle of the room, the black Blüthner grand stood, free of music, book or photographs. Debussy was proud of his grand piano, and before I played he showed me a new device invented by Blüthner: an extra string set on top of the others. Although not touched by the hammers, it caught the overtones, thus increasing the vibrations and enriching the sonority. This was a piano he had rented during a stay in Bournemouth, and liked so well that he had bought it and had it shipped to Paris.” “He played a number of passages and the tone he extracted from the Blüthner was the loveliest, the most elusive and ethereal I have ever heard”. 

letter from Maurice Dumesnil, friend

Claude Debussy

Debussy's Blüthner at the Musée Labenche