Biography
Lothar Theissmann
Guitarist, composer, author, born in Bielefeld/ Germany.
Studies of Classical Guitar with best possible grade in the final concert exam, Master Classes
with, a.o, Frank Bungarten (" Here is some one with comprehension of the guitar itself"),
Stephen Stubbs etc. Intensive musical studies of Classical Music, Old Music, Flamenco, Jazz, Latin, Rock as well as north- and west african music with the result of a creative guitar language
of ist own.
Teaching
1995-2011:
Head of the guitar branch of a public VDM music school.
"Tarrengi ", Student guitar group doing public concerts.
Own arrangements and compositions for this group - Traditinal, Classical, Fine Movie Soundtracks, Folk/Ethno.
Students winning awards in renowned competitions.
Workshops.
2006 - 2013:
New forms of group teaching for starters at Public Secondary Schools.
2012-2020:
Teaching at Frankfurt International School.
Workshops.
Performing
From 1990 on:
Solo recitals Different projects of Rock/Jazz-Bands were followed by the Guitar Duo "Corriente" and the Duo String Sing (voice and guitar). From 2000 on, The Solo Programme "Guitar Fascination ", which combines the Classical Guitar with other musical genres, is established.
2001: Concert series "Naked Guitar" with compositions written especially for each concert evening, performed with different guest musicians, combining scores and improvisations
From 2001:
Some Garden, Duo with the Singer/Piano Player Oona Kastner. Solo Concerts and Concerts with "Some Garden" all throughout Germany and South of Europe. Guitar Workshops. Another, competely different programme: "Evening of Words", a collage of sound for voices, guitar and prepared piano, based on the poetry of Paul Celan.
2003:
Invitation to Morocco to play on the festival "Oumsyat Ramadan" featuring a.o.Marcel Khalifa, Steve Sheehan etc. Concert in Marrakech, solo and with Khaled Badaoui (Oud) and Rachid Hijaoui (percussion).
From 2005 on:
Extension of the solo programme ""Guitar Fascination" by using prepared tapes, playing music from Vicente Amigo (Flamenco) as well as long, new compositions from Leo Brouwer to combine the different concert parts.
2007 to 2009:
Host and main musician of the concert series "EssenTial Guitar" and "EssenTial Music" in the Marktkirche, Essen. Music between Composition and Improvisation. Guest Musicians: Achim Tang (double bass), Seijev Al-Quid (Oud), Johannes Tonio Kreusch (guitar) etc.
2008:
Reunion of "Some Garden". After different own musical projects, a new common programme of Oona Kastner and "Lotheis" is established. "The Songs of Rickie Lee Jones " combines music of the great californian singer with the best songs written by Some Garden.
May 2008:
Host of the "Guitar Festival Enger" with, a.o. Frank Bungarten.
After a long preparation, two new CDs are issued(float, a sort of"Best of", and the new and timeless fine CD "The Beauty of Songs" von Some Garden)at online label "MusicJustMusic" first only on iTunes, then as a real CD. May 2011:
Hosting of Second International Guitar Festival at Enger. More connections between the single concerts common music...Guest Solists are open minded musicians Fengxia Xu (Ghuzeng, Sanxian) and Johannes Tonio Kreusch. Automn 2011:
The digital Version of the slide show "The Sahara Sounds" is finished(see: Programmes) and ,in december, is presented for the first time. Another step in (Re-)Union of Sound and Visionof the artisŐs work. Spring 2013:
After more than three years of work, the unique Oeuvre “Le Voyage” - an acoustic journey to seven places, inspired by and composed at these very spaces, linked by soundscapes -sounds of these places or surroundings, recorded right there, and a 24-pages booklet: Photography and poetry of the landscapes.
A migrant birds flight to musical roots, from France to Spain and Morocco. Veritable World Music with many instruments, different soundtracks , different shades of music.
Automn 2013:
The presentation of the CD “Le Voyage” evokes a new programme: A slide show with recorded tracks and live music. First concerts in Essen, Bielefeld, Frankfurt, from 2015 on also with guest musicians. Automn 2014:
The recordings of the new CD with works of Johann Sebastian Bach have been finished successfully. Automn 2015:
New solo programme “Johann Sebastian Bach: Meisterwerke”. . Spring 2016:
New solo programme “Spanish Music from four centuries”. In the first part of this new programme, essential Old Music will be heard, from the first print ever issued for the Vihuela, precester of the f&guitar: Some of the rarely played Fantasias by Luys Milan. The musical road then leads further on to works of Joaquin Rodrigo and contemporary Flamenco sounds. A concert evening with spanish rhythms and melodies far from common cliches - still concerning some of the milestones of guitar music: Pieces that gained their reputation because of their unique quality. Spring 2018:
New solo programme “ Ways leading to Bach ”. This new programme about Bach is an unique musical journey - an approach to Bach as personal as senseful - and it will be my last “classical ” solo programme. Automn 2018:
“The Solo Guitar in all its facets- Composers and Styles from six centuries” A new and very entertaining programme, where I present the “whole guitar ” with all its techniques and possibilities - in tones as well aa in words, and in an all but too serious way
Discographie:
| “palm” | (1/2000) |
| “some garden” | (9/2002) |
| “Erised“ | (11/2005) | “float“ | (5/2011) | “Some Garden: The Beauty of Songs“ | (5/2011) |
| “Le Voyage “ | (4/2013) |
| “Johann Sebastian Bach: Meisterwerke “ | (12/2015) | “Lothar Theissmann: Best of “ | (6/2020) | “The Journey “(Le Voyage remastered, only music) | (6/2020) |