Composer and pianist Stefan Schultze is one of the most multifaceted and original musicians to come out of the German jazz scene. A Berliner by choice, Schultze studied piano and composition in Cologne and in New York. He occupies the interface between new music, improvisation and jazz with which he has most definitely created his own style. His artistic projects cover a spectrum of compositions for small and large ensembles, from leading larger ensemble formations, to initiating and producing cultural-political music projects on national and international stages.
Stefan Schultze has founded and led a number of award-winning ensembles and worked with many important musicians and orchestras such as Tom Rainey, Herb Robertson, the Metropole Orchestra and the WDR-big band. In 2015, Deutschlandfunk produced his album with the Chinese sheng soloist Wu Wei, followed by "Ted The Bellhop" in 2017. With long-term cooperation partners such as the Goethe Institute and the German Foreign Office, he has completed concert tours and residencies worldwide. Besides his great passion for collective sounds, Schultze has been giving increasing focus to a number of solo projects, such as “The Pulsepusher Suite” for prepared piano. In 2018 he published his first well-received solo debut album "System Tribe" (WhyPlayJazz).
Stefan Schultze is the director of the Master’s program for Music Composition Contemporary Jazz at Bern University of the Arts, Switzerland and he is leading various University orchestras, master classes and workshops throughout the region.
AWARDS / HONORS
2020 Basisförderung Berliner Senat Stefan Schultze - Large Ensemble
2019 Berliner Senatsstipendium Tourförderung Stefan Schultze – Large Ensemble
2019 Basisförderung Berliner Senat Stefan Schultze - Large Ensemble
2018 Basisförderung Berliner Senat Stefan Schultze - Large Ensemble
2018 Projektförderung Our Voices! – Unsere Stimmen! Chorfantasie für 8 Chöre und 8 Lautsprecher
2017 Goethe-Institut Artist in Residence Japan / Tokyo
2017 Niedersächsisches Kompositionsstipendium
2017 Berliner Senatsstipendium Tourförderung Schultze Ehwald Rainey
2016 Berliner Senatsstipendium Projektförderung Schultze Ehwald Rainey
2015 Berliner Senatsstipendium Tourförderung Simon Rose Stefan Schultze Duo
2014 Goethe-Institut Artist in Residence Shanghai
2012 Berliner Senatsstipendium Projektförderung Berlin Art Orchestra Invites...
2012 Goethe-Institut Artist in Residence Südosteuropa
2010 1. Preis WDR Jazzpreis, Kategorie Komposition
2009 1. Preis Internationaler Kompositionswettbewerb „Artez Jazz Composition Contest
2008 Mitglied des BMI Jazz Composers Workshop
2008 1. Preis Niedersächsischer Jazzpreis
2007 Ehrenpreis der ASCAP Foundation „Young Jazz Composers Award“
2007 DAAD-Stipendium
2006 Stipendium Jazz Komposition, Manhattan School of Music in NY City
2006 Kölner Gymnasial- und Stiftungsfonds Stipendium
2006 1. Preis Granada "Best international Jazz Band” Preis
2005 1. Preis Granada "Best Young Jazz Band Award"
2005 1. Preis Jazz an der Donau „New Generation“
2004 Winning Jazz NDS
2003 1. Preis Internationaler Jazzpreis Biberach
2003 Winning Jazz NDS
WORKED WITH ENESEMBLES
WDR Bigband, Metropole Orchestra, Berlin Art Orchestra, Luzern Jazz Orchestra, Fette Hupe, Spielvereinigung Süd, Landesjugendchor NDS, Landesjugendjazzorchester NDS, Landesjugendjazzorchester Berlin, Landesjugendjazzorchester Hamburg, Millenium Orchestra Enschede
WORKED WITH ARTISTS
Akihito Obama, Almut Kühne, Benjamin Kraef, Benjamin Weidekamp, Christian Lillinger, Christoph Hillmann, Claudio Puntin, Claudius Valk, Cole Ingraham, Dag Magnus Narvesen, Daniel Schröteler, Devin Grey, Etienne Nillesen, Falk Grieffenhagen, Florian Menzel, Florian Ross, Florian Trübsbach, Florian Zwissler, Frank Gratkowski, Frank Möbus, Gebhard Ullmann, Heiner Wiberny, Herb Robertson, Hindol Deb, Hinrich Franck, Ignaz Schick, James Banner, Jan Roder, Jenny Q Chai, Joachim Ullrich, Johannes Lauer, John Schröder, John-Dennis Renken, Joss Turnbull, Jürgen Friedrich, Kalle Kalima, Linda Oh, Ludger Hennig, Marc Muellbauer, Martin Auer, Martin Lubenov, Mateusz Smoczynski, Matthias Muche, Matthias Schubert, Michael Schiefel, Miho Hazama, Nicola Hein, Nicolaus Neuser, Niels Klein, Nils Wogram, Nora Thiele, Norbert Scholly, Paulo Alvares, Peter Ehwald, Petter Eldh, Richard Scott, Rie Watanabe, Robert Landfermann, Roy Carroll, Ryuichi Yoshida, Sebastian Gille, Simon Rose, Simon Rummel, Tilman Ehrhorn, Tom Arthurs, Tom Rainey, Uli Kempendorff, Ute Wassermann, Werner Neumann, Willi Hanne, Winnie Brückner, Wu Wei.
CONCERTS
Finnland, Schweiz, Japan, Österreich, Italien, Polen, England, China, Hongkong, Holland, Spanien, Frankreich, Peru, Costa Rica, USA, Griechenland, Mazedonien, Bulgarien, Serbien, Kroatien, Mazedonien, Belgien, Luxemburg
FESTIVALS
Montreux Jazz Festival (Schweiz), Festival Internacional Jazz Perú (Lima, Peru), Venice Jazz, Trieste Jazz Festival, Belgrade Jazz Festival, Sofia Jazz Festival, Skopje Jazz Festival, Costa Rica International Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall (New York, USA), Luxembourg Blues n’ Jazz Rallye
EDUCATION
2005 Diploma in Jazz Piano Music Education, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, Köln
2006 Diploma in Jazz Piano, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, Köln
2006 Diploma in Jazz Composition / Jazz Arrangement, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, Köln
2008 Master of Music in Jazz Composition, Manhattan School of Music, New York
2008 BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop, New York
Teacher:
John Taylor, Michael Abene, Jim McNeely, Reiko Fueting, Joachim Ullrich, Paulo Alvares
