Ulrich Cornelius Maier
I have dedicated my life to music.
I started playing the piano at the age of 7 and was immediately fascinated by all forms of art and science, eventually intending to pursue a career as a scientist.
At the age of 18, however, I suddenly realised that I was actually born a musician and that as a conductor I would best be able to express what is intrinsic in music, that which cannot be said with words.
Growing up in Würzburg I studied orchestral conducting at the local Hochschule für Musik with Prof. Hans-Rainer Förster and Prof. Peter Falk, where I graduated with a diploma.
In later years I refined my conducting technique with Prof. Toshiyuki Kamioka at the HfM Saar.
After first engagements at the Theater Bielefeld and the Theater Dortmund I was employed at the Saarländisches Staatstheater Saarbrücken and at the Mainfranken Theater Würzburg where I have conducted drama, ballet and opera including Stravinsky’s „Sacre du Printemps“, Massenet’s „Werther“, Weber’s „Der Freischütz“, Puccini's „La Bohème", Ravel’s „L’enfant et les sortilèges“ and many more.
In order to have more time for my children I quit my job in Würzburg and moved to Karlsruhe where I freelance and am Head of Music at the Schlossfestspiele Ettlingen. Here I helped to establish a talent academy for aspiring opera singers and have built a brand with my arrangements of opera classics for chamber orchestra, such as Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte", J. Strauß' "Die Fledermaus" and Bizet's "Carmen" which have found an enthusiastic audience in recent years.
Over the years I have also been a passionate chamber music and lied pianist.
I have learned the most from my students. Teaching has grown very close to my heart in recent years and has become a crucial impulse for the development of my own creativity. I currently have a teaching position for vocal coaching and score reading at the HMT München.
Fascinated by a vast repertoire from the Medieval Period to the present day, I particularly love the music of Fauré, Dvořák, Sibelius and Ravel to only name a few....
In every moment of music making I strive for the utmost clarity of expression, in order to unravel the inner beauty of a score and to bring my listeners closer to what is between the lines.