Martin Sandhoff

In the orchestra since 2013

Martin Sandhoff, born in 1960, was founding member, 30 years principal flute and, from 2005 to 2015, Artistic Director of Concerto Köln. Far more than 100 Cd recordings produced by all top labels are a testament to his work, lots of them got prizes like Echo, Grammy or Midem.

Touring all around the world he was involved in collaborations with conductors such as Frans Brüggen, René Jacobs, Daniel Harding, Kent Nagano, David Stern, Gerd Albrecht, William Christie, Philipp Herreweghe, Ivor Bolten, Bruno Weil, Michael Hofstetter and Reinhard Goebel. Sandhoff has performed with Musica Antiqua Köln, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Europa Galante, Capella Coloniensis, Concerto Copenhagen, Opernhausorchester Zürich and the Orchestre des Champs- Elysees, among lot’s of others.

Since 2013 he is engaged from Teodor Currentzis as Principal Flute, Curator and Conductor for period projects at the Perm Theatre together with MusicAeterna Orchestra.

Chamber Music Partners are Alexander Melnikov, Isabell Faust, Michael Niesemann or Hille Perl.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC?

I started learning to play the flute when I was 6 or 7. Later I got interested in jazz and played the drums. For a long time I thought I was a drummer at heart, not a flute player. I can remember my first performances very clearly. When I was 9, I sang in the church choir a the Aachen Cathedral. We sang Bach’s oratorios, Brahms’s Requiems, Verdi — it was a very broad repertoire stretching from Palestrina to contemporary music. Performing such wonderful music was a unique experience to me. I think it was the best school I have ever gone through.

WHAT DOES MUSIC MEAN TO YOU?

It means very, very much. It is my whole life. All my existence is firmly bound to music and I cannot imagine my life without it. I certainly realize that a new chapter in my life will start sooner or later, and I won’t be able to perform on stage or teach anymore. Yet I’m very grateful to fate for having music accompany me. Music is beauty.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU PREFER TO PLAY: OLD OR MODERN?

I’ve played a lot of modern music. One of the modern pieces I really enjoy is the “Tristia” opera that we’ve performed together with musicAeterna and Teodor Currentzis.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 “DESERT ISLAND” MUSIC ALBUMS?

Mozart is my favourite composer. He is the most important musician to me — at least for now. I’ve played his pieces thousands of times, and each time I am amazed by his talent. So I’d gladly take Mozart’s operas, his da Ponte trilogy, to a desert island with me. I’d definitely pick Bach, too, along with Goldberg’s variations and — probably — Brahms’s Requiem which has become part of my soul. As you can see, I can’t stop listing my favourite music!

OUT OF THE MUSIC PIECES YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED, WHICH ONE DO YOU DREAM TO PERFORM?

I must say I’ve had the privilege to play all my favourite pieces already. I’d be glad to replay four symphonies by Schumann: I love them, and they are often performed in Germany but scarcely in Russia. I have a soft spot for Romantic music, so I’d love to perform Brahms’s “Serenades”.