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The German baritone, Tobias Ay, studied at the St. Thomas School, Leipzig, and gather valuable musical experience as a member of the Thomanerchor Leipzig. He then studied psychology at Universität Leipzig; and psycholog Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. After completing a degree in psychology, he studied singing/theatre music at Musiktheater at Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" in Leipzig (Class of 2010).
Ensemble Thios Omilos was founded in 2002 by members of Thomanerchor Leipzig: Patrick Grahl (Tenor), Cornelius Frommelt (Tenor), Tobias Ay (Baritone), Philipp Goldmann (Bass). The ensemble quickly gained a reputation for its tasteful and engaging performances of both sacred and secular literature from the Renaissance through to the Modern era. The singers are much-appreciated guests at renowned festivals such as the Bachfest Leipzig and the MDR Musiksommer, and have also received much acclaim abroad: for example, the singers toured the People’s Republic of China in 2007, and Taiwan in 2010. The ensemble were invited in 2013 to give a concert during the Vatican visit of the chairman of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). In the same year, Ensemble Thios Omilos was awarded first prizes as winner of the 8th Johannes-Brahms-Wettbewerb Wernigerode (July 2013), the AntonBruckner-Wettbewerb Linz, and the ensemble competition at the Hochchule für Musik und Theater in Leipzig. In 2011, the ensemble released its debut album, titled "Gallus – Hassler – Schein: Contrasts in German Church Music around 1600". In September 2013, the ensemble released its 2nd CD "Lebensgebete" with sacred vocal music of the 19th and 20th centuries (Rondeau). In November 2015 the ensemle won 2nd prize at the Deutschlandweiten Hochschulwettbewerb in Berlin.
Apart from Ensemble Thios Omilos, also performs as a soloist. In March 2013 he sang the part of Pilatus and other arias in a performance of J.S. Bach's Johannes Passion (BWV 245) in Dresden-Briewitz. In June 2013 he was soloist in a performance of the vocal symphony "Lieder vom Menschen" by Hans-Christian Bartel in the Gewandhaus in Leipzig on the occasion of the the Bachfest Leipzig. From the criticism of the LVZ: "The soloists are great, starting with the Thomaner Hans Jacob Wetzig (alto) and the creative baritone Tobias Ay up to ... " In November 2013 he sand Lieder by Hanns Eisler in a concert at the Ariowitsch-Haus in Leipzig. In December 2013 he was soloist in a Christmas concert at the Alten Börse Leipzig and in a performance of J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248) in Dresden-Briesnitz. In April 2014 he sang the bass part in a performance of the J.S. Bach's cantata Sehet, wir gehen hinauf gen Jerusalem (BWV 159) at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, the bass parts in J.S. Bach's Johannes Passion (BWV 245) in a performance in the Kirche zu Panitzsch near Leipzig. He sang the part of Christus in a performance of J.S. Bach's Johannes Passion (BWV 245) with the Camerata Lipsiensis at the Philippuskirche in Leipzig the world premiere of Colin Mawby's oratorio Ecce homo at the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig. In December 2017 he sang the bass parts in J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248) with the Camerata Lipsiensis and the Gewandhauschor at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. |
