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The German conductor, organist, and church musician, Udo Rainer Follert, received as student first lessons in piano, organ and cello playing. After graduating from secondary school, he trained as Kantor at the Thüringer Kirchenmusikschule. In 1961 he moved to the West and began studying at the Robert-Schumann-Hochschule in Düsseldorf with Gerhard Schwarz, Hartmut Schmidt, Jürg Baur and Almut Rößler. After the B-Exam in 1963, he continued his studies and Michael Schneider and Wolfgang Stockmeier and passed in 1967 the A-Exam. 1970 followed with the diploma for artistic organ playing and conducting.
From 1967 to 1984 Udo R. Follert operated at the Evangelischen Kirchengemeinde in Leichlingen. For three years he moved to Halle in Westphalia. From 1987 to 2008 he was music director at the Landeskirche of the Evangelischen Kirche der Pfalz and then directed the Evangelische Jugendkantorei der Pfalz in Pfalz (temporarily), the Singgemeinde Pfälzische Singakademie (which he founded) and the Corona Palatina (Orchestra of Pfälzischen Landeskirche) in numerous concerts and concert tours.
Udo R. Follert founded the Internationalen Draeseke-Gesellschaft, and he teaches score reading at the Hochschule für Musik in Heidelberg.
His recordings include: 1973 J.S. Bach: Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248) with Leichlinger Kantorei (1973); Heinrich Schütz: Weihnachtshistorie with Leichlinger Kantorei (1974); "Leichlinger Bläserweihnacht" with Leichlinger Kantorei / Bläserchor (1975); Hugo Distler: Choralpassion with Leichlinger Kantorei (1975); J.S. Bach: H-moll-Messe (BWV 232) with Leichlinger Kantorei (1976 or 1980); Felix Draeseke: Requiem Op. 22 with Leichlinger Kantorei (1983); F. Draeseke/Kiel: Motetten with Ravensberger Kammerchor (1985); F. Draeseke: Messe Op. 84 with Leichlinger Kantorei (1985); F. Draeseke: F. Draeseke with Evangelische Jugendkantorei der Pfalz and Heilbronner Vokalensemble (1990, CD). |
