Prof. Jan Schumacher

Germany

Jan Schumacher (*1980) is Music director of the Goethe-University in Frankfurt as well as the conductor of Camerata Musica Limburg and the Choir of TU Darmstadt. Until 2016 he was professor for choral conducting at the College of Church Music in Rottenburg. Having received his degree in School Music and German from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Jan went on to study Conducting with Wolfgang Schäfer at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. Even as a child and young adult (musical education with the Limburg Cathedral Boyschoir and the State Youth Choir of Rhineland-Palatinate), he was fascinated with the activity of group singing, which has remained the main motivation for his manifold activities to this day. With his choirs, he builds extensive repertoires from Gregorian chants to world premieres, from symphonic orchestra to to Big Band, and vocal or electronic improvisation. Jan teaches courses for choirs, orchestras and conductors across Europe, Iceland, Iran, Turkey, Argentina, Venezuela, and the USA. He is co-editor of various choral collections. His role as Vice President of the European Choral Association - Europa Cantant puts him in the wonderful position of being able to intensify the exchange among singers, conductors, and composers further for the benefit of choir music.