Meet Michael Niesemann
Meet Michael Niesemann, world-renowned historical oboe player, who is a very special guest performing at our concert - Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.2 on 15th November 2025.
What was your route into the world of period instrument performance?
“The route started quite early in the beginning of my studies at the Musikhochschule Köln. Because of my recorder studies I was already in Early Music circles. One day I arrived in front of the teaching room for my modern oboe lesson and heard fascinating sounds - my professor, Helmuth Hucke, was playing the Baroque oboe, as I found out when opening the door. I immediately ordered my first instrument; from there it went via chamber music, starting a quintet called Il Concertino together with some study mates, from there via Cappella Coloniensis, Collegium Aureum, founding Concerto Köln, Musica Antiqua Köln, English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique (as long as they were under the direction of Sir John Eliot Gardiner), and the Springhead Constellation Choir and Orchestra (Sir John Eliot Gardiner) - apart from countless other ensembles.”
What are the challenges of playing the solo oboe part in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.2
“The versatility necessary and needing to match the sound and dynamics of all other solo instruments involved. It is like appearing at a party and talking or dancing with other people from completely different countries. If you want to play this music vividly, you need a lot of differentiated articulation and dynamic.”
Outside of baroque performance, what else do you enjoy playing?
“I enjoy Free Jazz as a main leg of my artistic activities mainly on my saxophones, for example with England’s legendary bassist and composer Barry Guy. I’m a member of the Blue Shroud Band and the London Jazz Composers Orchestra (LJCO), both of which he directs. Just a few days ago we performed with the LJCO at the Berlin Jazz Festival in the main hall."
I founded an improvisation orchestra called impr%rchester at the Folkwang University of the Arts, where I teach modern oboe, historical oboes and improvisation. I compose for this music body, I love the setting up of the stages when we play, planning and installing of light and stage accessories and settings for the performances of often even spiritual/esoteric nature with sometimes a bit of theatrical elements.”
What do you enjoy doing outside of music making?
“Photography, diving (which I would love to do much more of….), our life in our old house with two cats and a tortoise.”