Wolfgang Manz, Piano

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Wolfgang Manz, biography

Wolfgang Manz is prizewinner of prestigious international piano competitions such as Leeds (1981) and Brussels (Concours Reine Elisabeth 1983) where he was the first   German pianist winning silver medals. He was also awarded the Mendelssohn prize in Berlin in 1980 and a 2nd prize at the 1982 Federal German Music Competition in Bonn, and received a special jury discretionary award at the 1989 van Cliburn Competition in   Texas/USA.

Manz has been influenced by two very different pianistic traditions, by the Czech pianist Drahomir Toman, a representative of the Eastern European school originating from Theodor Leschetizky, whereas he adapted elements of the German tradition going back to Hugo Steuer and Robert Teichmüller, at the renowned University of Music at Hanover in the class of Prof. Karlheinz Kämmerling.
 
Since his competition successes Wolfgang Manz has been much in demand as soloist with orchestras, solo recitals and chamber music. His repertoire includes more than 50 piano concertos and an extensive solo and chamber music programme ranging from Bach to Contemporary Music. He performed with renowned orchestras and conductors, particularly with British orchestras as the English Chamber, Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra (appearance at the London “Prom” concert 1984 with Brahms 1st piano concerto).  CD productions include the 2 Brahms piano concertos for ARTE NOVA.
 
In 2000 Wolfgang Manz was appointed tenure professor for piano at the University of Music Nürnberg, where he was also vice president from 2015-2017, and is currently head of the instrument/singing department and the keyboard faculty.
He regularly serves as jury member at international piano competitions and was jury president at the Ettlingen Piano Competition from 2020-2024.
Many of his students have won major prizes at the Leeds, van Cliburn, Geza Anda Zurich, Cleveland, Beethoven Vienna, Ettlingen, Hamamatsu, Sendai competitions.   Some of them became professors at music universities in Hannover, Vienna, Tokyo and Seoul.
 
Since 2001 Wolfgang Manz has been artistic director of the „Friday’s concerts piano recital series“ in Trier, and from 2024 of the International Pegnitz Music Festival in Nürnberg.

He frequently gives masterclasses in China, at the conservatories in Shanghai, Xi´an and Hangzhou.