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The American bartitone singer and software engineer, Sepp Hammer, obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley and his Master of Music degree degree in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory.
Critics have described baritone Sepp Hammer as delivering “masterful and expressive solos” (San Francisco Classical Voice) and showing “warm baritone gravity” (The Boston Globe).
Concert engagements in recent seasons have included J.S. Bach's Cantata Aus der Tiefe BWV 131 with Santa Cruz Chorale, George Frideric Handel's Dixit Dominus with San Francisco Choral Society, John Rutter's Mass of the Children with Solano Symphony, Jan Dismas Zelenka's Gloria with Chora Nova, R. Vaughan Williams's Five Mystical Songs with Contra Costa Chorale, and, with various ensembles, Heinrich Schütz's Symphoniae Sacrae, J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor BWV 232, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Schubert's Mass in G Major, Johannes Brahms' Requiem, Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, Maurice Duruflé's Requiem. With the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, Sepp sang the role of Eupolemus in G.F. Handel's Judas Maccabaeus.
In the 2024-2025 season, Sepp Hammer appeared as soloist in Zipoli's Missa Encarnación with California Bach Society, W.A. Mozart's Requiem with Chora Nova, J.S. Bach's Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 as the High Priest with Cantata Collective under Nicholas McGegan, and Ralph Vaughan Williams's Dona Nobis Pacem with Vallejo Choral Society. In prior seasons, he joined California Bach Society for performances of J.S. Bach's Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 (as Jesus), J.D. Zelenka's Missa Votiva, Charpentier's Messe des Morts, and Carissimi's Jonas, in which he portrayed the voice of God “with booming authority” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Highlights of his 2025-2026 season include the USA premiere of Rejcha's Te Deum with Chora Nova and J.S. Bach's Magnificat in D major BWV 243 with Soli Deo Gloria. In August 2025, he was a member of the week-long American Bach Soloists Academy where he participated in daily master-classes and was a featured soloist in a program of three J.S. Bach's cantatas under conductor Jeffrey Thomas.
On the opera stage, Sepp Hammer has appeared as Orest in Elektra with Berkeley Elektra Project, Pistola in Falstaff with Cinnabar Theater, the Speaker in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Pocket Opera, Malatesta in Don Pasquale with North Bay Opera, and Wagner in Charles Gounod's Faust with Opera San Jose. His other operatic repertoire encompasses a wide range of roles, including Aeneas in H. Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Conte Almaviva in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, the title role in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni, Don Alfonso in W.A. Mozart's Così fan tutte, Falke in Die Fledermaus, Escamillo in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Schaunard in La Bohème, and John Proctor in The Crucible.
Sepp Hammer is the creator of Perform CMS, a website hosting and content management solution for easy-to-maintain websites for freelance artists. He currently lives in San Francisco, California. |
