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The German organist, composer, conductor and music teacher, Andreas Schmidt, worked from 1974 to 2008 as a banker. He held positions at several large banks, including branch manager and communications trainer (from 1986 onwards).
Alongside his professional career, Andreas Schmidt has been a part-time musician since 1976 . He was active as a choir director, orchestra conductor, composer, and organist. Among the choirs he directed were the Hannoversche Singkreis, HannoverChor, Chor St. Heinrich and Burgdorfer Kammerchor. With his choirs, he performed a broad repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary music. As an orchestral conductor, he collaborated on oratorio performances with members of the Niedersächsischen Staatsorchester, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Burgdorfer Kammerorchester, and Kammerorchester Annemarie Michael, among others. He had the opportunity to mentor many young musicians who are now active internationally.
In 2008, Andreas Schmidt left his job and, beginning in 2009, studied church music at the Hochschule für Musik Theater und Medien Hannover. Since 2013, he has worked as a freelance church musician. He works with choirs, professional vocal ensembles, and orchestras, teaches music theory and ear training in the (D and C courses) for part-time church musicians, and tour throughout Germany as a concert organist. He founded the Apostelchor and, in addition to directing the Chor St. Heinrich, also directed the Stadtkantorei Gehrden. With these choirs, he performed a broad a cappella repertoire as well as oratorios, masses, and cantatas. Since 2024, he has conducted the Orchester der Herrenhäuser Kirche.
Andreas Schmidt also composes, and most of his works are performed. He collaborated with the Hanoverian pastor Dr. Sigrid Lampe-Densky (texts) on several oratorios, cantatas, and organ fairy tales, and significantly shaped the church music at St. Thomas-Gemeinde in Hannover-Ricklingen. His collaboration with Lampe-Densky resulted in the book Gottesklang (Sound of God), published by LIT Verlag. Also published by LIT Verlag was his work on Hugo Distler's Totentanz (Dance of Death). His compositions are published by seven publishing houses. He realizes projects such as J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor BWV 232 with specialized vocal and instrumental ensembles. His compositions and concert recordings are documented on YouTube. He is also the treasurer of KUM e.V. |
