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The Internationally acclaimed German conductor, Werner Andreas Albert, began his studies in musicology and history, and later studying conducting with Herbert von Karajan and Hans Rosbaud.
Werner Andreas Albert made his conducting debut in 1961 debut with the Heidelberger Kammerorchester. His first major concert in February 1961 with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and soloist, the world-famous and late violinist Yehudi Menuhin. His first permanent engagement was as Chief Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie (1969-1971). He later served as chief conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon and the Nürnberger Symphoniker in Germany. He is also the permanent guest conductor of the Radio Symphony Orchestras in Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Radio-Symphonie-Orchester-Berlin, and of the Bamberger Symphoniker.
Werner Andreas Albert has enjoyed great success conducting tours to the USA, South America, the Soviet Union, China, and most European countries. In recent years he has conducted in Beijing, and at Triphony Hall and Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall in Japan with the New Japan Philharmonic and the Tokyo City Symphony Orchestra. Since 1981, he has regularly conducted in Australia, particularly with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, of which he was named Principal Conductor (1983-1990; from 2010 Conductor Emeritus). He was also Principal Conductor of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra for three years from 1995, and he has has conducted all six Symphony Australia orchestras. He has been Principal Guest Conductor of the Southern Sinfonia since 2007.
Werner Andreas Albert has made over 600 recordings for the Cologne, Bavarian and Northwest German Radio Networks. His extensive reputation is built on an extraordinary collection of recorded works, mastery of the German Romantic repertoire, and a finely developed skill to inspire and draw out the best in orchestras he conducts. After recording all of the vast standard repertoire, he began to champion new composers and to research works that had never been recorded. In the process he he gained an exemplary reputation as a connoisseur's conductor and earned the distinction of the most recorded artist in Germany. He records extensively for the highly respected independent German record label CPO. He has recorded the complete orchestral repertoire of Paul Hindemith, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Hans Pfitzner, and Benjamin Frankel. He has embarked on an extensive new project involving the operatic and symphonic music of Siegfried Wagner, son of Richard Wagner, featuring recordings as well as live performances.
In addition to his commitment to conducting and recording, Werner Andreas Albert has had a keen interest in the training of young conductors and musicians. He directed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Conducting Workshop for 8 years, as well as teaching selected Masters’ students at the University of Queensland, of which institution he is Adjunct Professor. He has been Chief Conductor of the Bavarian State Youth Orchestra for more than 20 years and is also senior lecturer of the Meistersinger Conservatorium in Nuremberg.
Werner Andreas Albert has been recognized by both the German Federal and Bavarian State Governments for his dedication to music. He holds the title of member of the German Federal Cross of Merit, Erste Klasse (the German equivalent of the British Order of Merit), as well as the Bavarian Order of Merit), which is limited to a restricted number of living members. |
