Michael Gläser

Even at a very young age there were signs of his future musical career in singing and choir conducting. Born in Chemnitz, he became a member of the Leipzig Thomanerchor from 1967 to 1978, already assuming choral conducting duties as a prefect during his time there. Vocal and conducting studies in Leipzig and Berlin followed, as well as further work as a choir director for the Leipzig Hochschulchor, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Choir, the Berliner Singakademie among others, as well as the Leipzig Radio Choir, in which he was also engaged as a singer. In 1986 Michael Gläser became a conducting assistant with the Berlin Radio Choir before holding the position of artistic director for the Bavarian Radio Choir from 1990 to 2005. His main responsibilities here included preparing the choir for performances with both of the orchestras of the Bavarian Radio, in addition to which he presented the choir in its own subscription concert series at the Prince Regent Theater beginning in 1998. Michael Gläser enjoyed success with his performances of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Max Reger and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Time and again his ability to cultivate an exceptional range of pianissimo singing with the choir was particularly praised.

In September 2003 he directed the first ever choir-conducting forum, in which young choir directors gained experience in working with a highly trained professional ensemble. This was an extension of Michael Gläser’s already-existing pedagogical work. He has been professor for choral conducting and director of the department of Protestant Church Music at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich since 1994.

Since 2005 Michael Gläser has also regularly worked as a guest conductor with the Netherlands Radio Choir in Hilversum. In March 2008 he made his debut with the France Radio Choir, and in December of this year he will prepare them for a performance of Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s “Elijah” for Kurt Masur.