Informations
Facts
Born in Munich, Germany
Member since 01.09.1986
Biography
It was on a trip to Italy as a child that Andreas Wittmann heard a sound that would change his life. He and his parents stopped in Salzburg, and walked past the Festspielhaus while someone was practising near an open window. He was intrigued by the sound of the instrument, which his father explained was an oboe. A little later, his parents gave him a recording of Mozart’s Oboe Concerto. That settled matters; and at the age of twelve, he began to take oboe lessons.
Andreas Wittmann began his studies at the University of Music in Munich with Manfred Clement, and continued at Berlin University of the Arts with Hansjörg Schellenberger. In Munich, he also studied conducting with Hermann Michael, and participated several times in the conducting courses of Sergiu Celibidache. As an oboist, he joined the Karajan Academy from 1985 to 1986, and went on to become a member of the Berliner Philharmoniker. In 1988, he founded the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet together with four of his colleagues.
For several years, he was principal oboist with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. He makes guest appearances as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher both in Germany and abroad. For many years he has been an instructor with the Karajan Academy, where he also acted as manager from 2013 to 2015. He is a regular guest conductor of the Orquesta Sinfonica Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, and also conducts, among others, the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin and the Berliner Sibelius Orchester. Andreas Wittmann loves good food and wine and very much enjoys going to the theatre.
Awards
First Prize, Bundeswettbewerb Jugend musiziert (1977)
Ensembles of the Berliner Philharmoniker
