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18th December 2011
See you next year!
15th December 2011
Our recording with music by Calace is sold out!
7th November 2011
In our upcoming recital in Bottrop on 11th November 2011 we'll premiere two new pieces: Duo op. 52 by Mark Simon and Bidon Cinque by Jeff Harrington!
17th October 2011
The release date for our new CD has been moved a month to March 2012!
Duo Ahlert & Schwab
For 20 years now Duo Ahlert & Schwab - Daniel Ahlert (mandolins) and Birgit Schwab (guitars/lutes) are pursuing their
artistic vision: widening the possibilities of their instruments and exploring new paths in their repertoire. Playing
hundreds of concerts worldwide, publishing several recordings of breathtaking virtuosity and working with distinguished
contemporary composers, who have dedicated roughly 100 pieces for mandolin and guitar to them, Duo Ahlert & Schwab became
the most celebrated and influential duo of our time.
Daniel Ahlert and Birgit Schwab have been awarded many prizes and grants in international competitions auch as the
"Concours international des Duos" in Belgium, the "Concours national Luxembourgeois pour jeunes Solistes", and the ACF.
Duo Ahlert & Schwab performed at the Holland Festival Oude Muziek in Utrecht, Preston Bradley Hall (Chicago),
Internationales Bodenseefestival and Leipziger Bachfestival. The Slovakian Chamber Orchestra and Das Kleine Zürcher
Ensemble are amongst those orchestras, who have invited Daniel Ahlert and Birgit Schwab as soloists.
Since 2007 the Duo is recording for Naxos. In 2012, right on time for their 20th anniversary, their new recording featuring US
music will be out.
Did you know ...?
Duo Ahlert & Schwab is the founder of Edition Corvus. Music that has been written for or discovered by the duo is being published there.
2004 Duo Ahlert & Schwab has been invited to New York by the radio station WNYC and was labeled "Lord of the Strings" there.
Up to today about 80 composers have dedicated roughly 100 works to Birgit Schwab and Daniel Ahlert.
Birgit Schwab and Daniel Ahlert also commit themselves to spreading their knowledge and skills. They are esteemed teachers at home and abroad.
Studies
Birgit Schwab studied guitar and lute at Musikhochschule Köln/Wuppertal with Prof. Dieter Kreidler and Prof. Hans-Michael Koch.
Daniel Ahlert studied mandolin and and baroque mandolin at Musikhochschule Köln/Wuppertal with Prof. Marga Wilden-Hüsgen.
Joint prizes
1989 - National 2nd prize at Jugend musiziert (Ahlert)
1990 - 1st prize at Intern. Musikfestwochen in Nordrhein-Westfälischen Burgen und Schlössern (Schwab)
1991 - 1st prize at Internationaler Mozartwettbewerb Bad Oeynhausen (Schwab)
1991 - National 1st prize at Jugend musiziert (Schwab)
1992 - 1st prize at "Concours international des Duos" in Belgium
1993 - National 1st prize at Jugend musiziert (Ahlert)
1996 - 1st prize at "13. Concours national Luxembourgeois pour jeunes Solistes" (Ahlert)
1998 - winners at Wuppertaler Barmenia Wettbewerb
1998-2001 - scholars of Friedrich-Jürgen-Sellheim-Gesellschaft
1999 - scholars of "Stiftung Kunst und Kultur des Landes NRW"
2000 - scholars of VEW Energie
since 2000 - scholars of Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Kulturarbeit e.V.
2001-2003 - scholars of Werner Richard-Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung
2005-2006 - supported by "American Composers Forum" in the "Encore" programme
Radio/TV
WDR, SWR, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Radio Socioculturelle de Luxembourg, WFMT (Chicago), WNYC (New York)
Tours
Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, the USA
Recordings
1999
"Raffaele Calace - Music for mandolin and guitar", published by Musicom and supported by Stiftung Kunst und Kultur des Landes NRW
2000
"Chilli con Tango", music for mandolin and guitar, published by Antes and supported by Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Kulturarbeit.e.V.
2004
"Nowhere left to go", music for mandolin and guitar, published by Antes and supported by Sparkasse Bergkamen-Bönen
2005
"Sonatas by Weiss und Hoffmann" for baroque mandolin and lute, published by Naxos and supported by Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Kulturarbeit.e.V.
2007
"Le Musée" French guitar music by Claude Engel published by Antes
2012
"America!" American music for mandolin and guitar, published by Naxos and supported by Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Kulturarbeit.e.V.