Thomas Offermann

Germany

master classes
jury

Prof. Dr. Thomas Offermann counts today as one of the internationally most regarded guitar pedagogues in Europe and further afield. As soloist, with orchestra and as member of the internationally acclaimed DUO SONARE, one of the outstanding guitar duos of recent times, he has toured in over forty counties worldwide and participated at the most prestigious Guitar Festivals. Numerous Radio and Television broadcasts, together with eight internationally appraised CD recordings provide a worthy documentation to the quality of his work.

Through his work with DUO SONARE, Thomas Offermann opened new ground for the classical guitar repertoire with the adaption of music by such figures as Chick Corea, Frank Zappa and Mike Oldfield. Chick Corea himself praised these interpretations for "so much feeling and beauty".

As professor he currently teaches an International Master class at the University of Music and and Theater in Rostock; he is artistic director of the International Guitar Academy in Berlin. His

latest publication "Moderne Gitarrentechnik“ has been released by Schott/Mainz and in 2019

in English by UT Orpheus in Italy ("Modern Guitar Technique Integrative Movement Theory for Guitarists"). As a lecturer he has appeared at prestigious institutions, guitar festivals and universities across the world, winning acclaim from both participants and peers alike.

In recent years Thomas Offermann has also been active as a conductor of guitar orchestras; composers such as Sérgio Assad, René Eespere, Marco de Biasi, Carlo Domeniconi and Benjamin Verdery wrote works for Guitar Ensembles for him.

Danielle Ribouillault wrote on his teaching in Les Cahiers de la Guitare:

"As I entered the class, he was explaining how to use the notes to revive a phrase, and then you can hear how the phrase flourishes and starts to live. He guides the student towards a generous Rubato that lets the melody vibrate. He, who had played with such a musicality and mastery, knows how to transmit his life-giving espirit… A lot of students attended his class: clearly because something special happens with him during his passionate transmission of music, something essential and more intense than otherwise."

Since 2010 Thomas Offermann is the D’Addario’s European classical guitar representative.