Biography Christopher Dell

CHRISTOPHER DELL studied Philosophy at the TU Darmstadt, Music and Composition at the Conservatory of Hilversum and Rotterdam, scholarship holder at the Berklee School of Music, Boston. Master student of Gary Burton, Diploma Magna Cum Laude; Master of Human Resources/ Organisation-Development at the TU Kaiserslautern Formation and creation of the Improvisation-Studios at the "Akademie für Tonkunst", Darmstadt; Transdisciplinary works iin the fields of Architecture, Arts, Philosophy and Bodyworks; Soundinstallations, Exhibitions / Performances Work as curator for the exhibition “radical architecture- processing uncertainty” with Bernd Kniess for the Museum for Applied Arts, Cologne Due to the "Reclam Jazzlexikon" he is one of Europe's leading vibraphonists. Dell has recorded numerous CD's and toured throughout Canada, China, the USA, Japan, India, Africa. His work was honored with several awards e.g. the Downbeat Allstar Award, the Award of the "Deutsche Schallplattenkritik", the JazzArt-Award - Music of the 21st Century and the Music prize of the City of Darmstadt. Since 2002 Leader of the ifit, Institute for Improvisation-Technology, Berlin; he is author of numerous articles and the book “Prinzip Improvisation“, Cologne 2002 2005 Dell received the Darmstädter Musikpreis. “The Musician is regarded as one of the most important musicians and composers of Europe" was the opinion of the jury.

Education:

* 1984-85 studies of philosophy, TU Darmstadt

* 1985-86 studies of music at Conservatorium Hilversum

* 1986-88 Conservatorium Rotterdam

* 1988-90 Berklee School of Music, Boston

(Masterstudent with Gary Burton, Herb Pomeroy, Hal Crook)

* 1993-94 studies of composition with Prof. Dr. Engelmann

* composition masterclasses with Stockhausen, Rihm, Lindberg

* 1994-95 Dispokinese, bodytechniques with H. Wunsch

* composition class of Edith Lejet, University of Mainz

* 2001-02 Body Mind Centering, with J. Johanssen and F. Tröscher

* 2003-2005 Master of Arts in Human-Recources and Organisational

Development at TU Kaiserslautern

Diplomas:

* Piano, theory classical and Jazz ( Cons. Rotterdam)

* Diploma Magna Cum Laude (Berklee)

* Master of Arts (TU Kaiserslautern)

Awards:

* 1988 Scholarship Berklee School of Music

* 1989 "Gary Burton Jazz Award“, Boston

* 1990 Downbeat Musicfest “All-Star-Soloist“, Oakland

* 1993 Finalist Europ. Jazzcompetition, Brüssel

* 1993 Jazzprize of the City of Frankfurt

* 1996 Scholarship "International Summerclasses for New Music" Darmstadt

* 1996 Compositionprize ERTA

* 1998 “Deutsche Schallplattenpreis” for CD “Dancers on a plane”

* 1999 Tour Award Africa, Goethe Institute

* 2000 Tour Award India, Goethe Institute

* 2000 WDR Scholarship for chamber composition

* 2001 Prize of the City Cologne for the Performance-Project "At the edge of time"

* 2001 "Jazz Art Award" music of the 21. century for the project D.R.A.

* 2002 "1above0", composition comissioned by the WDR and

the Museum For Applied Arts, Cologne

* 2003 Amerika-Kanada Tournee auf Einladung des Goethe Institutes

* 2005 Musikpreis der Stadt Darmstadt

* 2006 Südamerika Tournee auf Einladung des Goethe Institutes

Worked with:

(among others)

Bob Brookmeyer

Charlie Mariano

Norbert Scholly

Benny Golson

Kenny Wheeler

Wolfgang Haffner

K.&M Labèque

Jazzensemble des HR

Albert Mangelsdorf

WDR Big Band

Lee Konitz

John Schröder

Barry Altschul

Christof Lauer

NDR Big Band

Heinz Sauer

Nils Landgren

Tomas Stanko

Manfred Schoof

Michel Godard

Lalo Schifrin

Tom Scott

Ernie Watts

Peter Erskine

Hiram Bullock

Billy Cobham

Bob Degen

Lars Daniellson

Creative Commons By-SA License