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The German choral conductor, organist and pianist, Leon Immanuel Sowa, attended Grundschule Mennighüffen-Ost; then attended the Grundschule Mennighüffen-Ost, graduating with his Abitur (university entrance qualification) in the spring of 2016. His musical education began at the Musikschule der Stadt Löhne. At the age of 18 months, he participated in the "Musikgarten" pilot project with a parent. At the age of 4, he began the two-year "Musik entdecken" course, which he attended until the age of 6. However, at the age of 4.5, he expressed a desire to learn an instrument. He chose the piano and initially received three years of lessons from his father. After winning first prize at the regional "Jugend Musiziert" competition in 2005, he switched to further piano training with piano teacher Dietrich Klappert. In the meantime, he began studying his second instrument, the trumpet, with his father. In the fall of 2008, he applied for admission as a junior student at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Herford. He was accepted and, at 11 years old, became the youngest student at the school. Since January 2009, he has been taking church organ lessons from the head of the school, Professor Dr. Helmut Fleinghaus, and piano lessons from Professor Anja David. He is receiving his training on his third instrument, the trumpet, from Andreas Adam, principal trumpeter of the Northwest German Philharmonic.
Leon Immanuel has participated in numerous competitions and received the following prizes: First Prize (Organ) at the Bundeswettbewerb „Jugend musiziert“ irst Prize (Organ) at the Landeswettbewerb „Jugend musiziert“ NRW; Second Prizes (Piano) at the Landeswettbewerb "Jugend musiziert" NRW; First Prizes (Piano/Organ) at the Regionalwettbewerb „Jugend musiziert“; First Prizes (Piano/Trumpet) at the Jugendmusikwettbewerb der Volksbanken im Kreis Herford; 6 First Prizes at the Schülerwettbewerb der Musikschule der Stadt Löhne. His greatest success to date was winning First Prize in the Organ category at the Bundeswettbewerb »Jugend musiziert« in Stuttgart on May 29, 2012. His First Prize at the Landeswettbewerb in 2012, with the highest score of 25 points, is also an outstanding achievement.
Since the age of 6, Leon Immanuel Sowa has regularly performed on stage at various concert events. Initially, he played the piano at music school concerts and recitals, then at university concerts and concerts organized by other organizations. He can be heard not only on the church organ and piano, but also as a trumpet player in various orchestras: Mühleisen organ in the Stiftskirche in Stuttgart; At the large Mühleisen organ in the Stiftskirche in Stuttgart; Klais organ in the Kölner-Philharmonie; Gown rehearsal at the Kölner-Philharmonie; Beckerath organ in Lüneburg; Concert on the famous Baroque organ in St. Johannis, Lüneburg; Fischer and Krämer organs in Rheda-Wiedenbrück; At the Fischer and Krämer organs in St. Clemens, Rheda-Wiedenbrück; Rensch organ in Wertheim. As a trumpet soloist in the Musikkorps der Stadt Löhne.
Through his great success in the Wettbewerb »Jugend musiziert« and his numerous solo concerts, Leon Immanuel Sowa has become acquainted with impressive instruments. He has played organs in some of the most famous churches and concert halls in Germany, Austria, and Poland, including the Kölner Philharmonie, the Stuttgart Stiftskirche, the Dom zu Essen, and the Oliwa Kathedrale in Danzig. He is also constantly developing as a pianist. His repertoire ranges from classical to jazz. Even his church organ repertoire includes jazz elements. A special feature of his musical work is his bar piano repertoire, which he occasionally performs at gala events.
Leon Immanuel Sowa's competition successes prompted the Jürgen Ponto-Stiftung to accept him into its sponsorship program and award him a training scholarship. Since October 2019, he has been a scholarship holder of the Rotary Clubs Herford. Since September 2012, he has been invited by various organizers to perform solo concerts for the first time, in which he performed an entire evening alone. Among other venues, concerts took place in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Löhne/Westfalen, Wertheim/Baden-Württemberg, and a concert at Oliwa Kathedrale in Poland, where he had the opportunity to play in front of large audiences on one of Poland's most famous organs.
In February 2013, Leon Immanuel Sowa played solo concerts in Löhne and at the Musikwoche in Hitzacker under the title "Bach trifft..." at the invitation of Ludwig Güttler. Since July 2013, he has been touring with his new program "Begegnungen," featuring works by J.S. Bach, Johann Pachelbel, Camille Saint-Saëns, Widor, Alain, Felix Mendelssohntholdy, and Dennerlein. This program has been heard at St. Johannis in Lüneburg, the Heilandkirche Siemshof in Löhne, and the Stadtkirche Rotenburg/Wümme (opening concert of the Orgelfestwoche), and the Simeonskirche in Löhne-Gohfeld. In 2014, he is touring with the program "... und immer wieder Bach." He has performed at at St. Nikolai-Kirche in Kiel, Marienkirche in Herford and the Dom zu Essen, , among others. Since March 2014, he has been the permanent organist of the Ev. Kirchengemeinde Löhne-Mennighüffen.
Leon Immanuel Sowa has attended several master-classes, including: August: 2014 Master-class with Pieter van Dijk, Amsterdam; November 2018: Master-class with Prof. Martin Schmeding, Leipzig; October 2019: Master-class with Prof. Roman Perucki, Gdansk; 2015/2016 Piano recitals in Krefeld, Siegen, Aachen, and Dortmund.
In April 2016, Leon Immanuel Sowa received the Abitur (high school diploma) from Löhne Gymnasium; in June 2016, he successfully passed the entrance examination for church music studies at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Herford; Church music studies in Herford since October 2016. In 2017, he gave concerts entitled "Pipes...crossover," solo and "Pipes and Drums...crossover" with percussionist Norbert Wilke. In August 2017, he participated in the international organ competition held in the historic Wuppertal City Hall, placing among the top 9 out of over 30 candidates from 10 countries. He was the youngest and only German participant; In August 2019, he reached the finals of the international organ competition held in the historic Stadthalle Wuppertal. In 2020, he completed his bachelor's degree in "Classical Church Music" with an overall grade of "very good." He was certified as having "exceptional achievements" in the subjects of organ literary performance and piano. He is currently studying for his master's degree in church music at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Herford and is pursuing his artistic maturity examination in organ literary performance. Since January 2023, he serves as Kreiskantor at Pauluskirche in Bünde, North Rhine-Westphalia and Director of the Bünder Kantorei.
Productions: Leon Immanuel Sowa: On July 12, 2011, WDR television produced a profile of Leon; A French television station reported on the organ concert on September 30, 2012, in Mielec, Poland, including an interview; The CD "Begegnungen" (Encounters) was released at the end of November 2013; On October 17, 2018, another feature on WDR television about the organ YouTuber; In December 2019, he recorded the CD "Gloria" with musicians from the Gdansk Philharmonic and other international soloists under the direction of Professor Roman Perucki. |
