The German clavichordisdt, Sigrun Stephan, was born in the same town as J.S. Bach, albeit in a different country. Separated by a big wall from some of her relations but fortunately not from music, she learned to play the piano in the beautiful region of Thuringia at the foot of the Wartburg. She studied piano in the birthplace of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach in Weimar, obtaining her her diploma in solo piano and piano education in 1990. After the fall of the wall, she was able to fulfil her dream of playing historical keyboard instruments professionally. She studied harpsichord at the Folkwang Academy in Duisburg with Ludger Rémy, graduating with Master of Music degree in 1995. She has lived and worked in Germany's Ruhr region ever since.
Since 1991, Sigrun Stephan is teaching at the Musikschule Kamp-Lintfort, as well as privately in the subjects piano, harpsichord, chamber music, co-rrepetition and continuo playing for children and adults, beginners, change-over, up-and-coming and willing to study. She also continues her concert career as a harpsichordist and continuo player.
The soft and magical clavichord has become her favourite instrument in recent years, following her leitmotif, as expressed by Mark Twain in his typically apt manner: “Noise proves nothing.” And according to rumours of bygone years, J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach and Johann Gottfried Müthel were all particularly fond of this wonderful instrument … kinships, therefore, on various levels? |