Elke Völker

Elke Völker studied school music at the Mannheim/Heidelberg State College of Music and Performing Arts, as well as romance languages at the University of Mannheim. In 1992 she pursued training in organ at the Mannheim College of Music with Prof. Leo Krämer, continuing with the Soloist Class and the Concert Examination in 1996. Her Church Music study was in Mainz with Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kaiser (Improvisation) and Mathias Breitschaft (Choral Conducting).

A scholarship allowed her to study abroad with Wolfgang Rübsam (University of Chicago) and Michelle Leclerc (Schola Cantorum, Paris). The latter course was awarded the Concert Diploma («Premier Prix» with distinction "très bien a l'unanimité"). Master classes and private study with Jean Guillou (Paris), Nicholas Kynaston (London), Jon Laukvik (Stuttgart) and Piet Kee (Haarlem) ensued. She is working as assistent at the Cathedrale of Speyer.

Ms. Völker has been a prizewinner in several international competitions including the Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the "Orgelwettbewerb Dom zu Speyer", in 1995. 2001 she was a scholar of Rotary International.

Her concert activity in Germany and abroad includes participation in the most significant festivals in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg, the Russian Federation, the Baltic countries, Finland and Israel. In 1996 came her debut concert in the "Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival" and in 1997 participation in the "Rheingau Music Festival". In 1999 the hall was sold out for her debut in the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall. Particularly intensive involvement with the music of Sigfrid Karg-Elert, including e.g. participation at Karg-Elert Conferences in 1998 (Bremen) and 2001 (Mannheim), 2003 (Bochum) and CD recordings (Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol.1-3) a strong part of her repertory.

Other activities: Guest appearances with international orchestras, freelance work as organist with the State Philharmonic of Rheinland-Pfalz, TV, radio and CD recordings (ZDF, FR3, Russian TV; Südwestfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Radio Bremen; record labels Aeolus, Motette, Spirella). In 1997 a radio portrait in the Südwestfunk was devoted to her.

She received degrees in Musicology (Prof. Ludwig Finscher) and German Studies at the University of Heidelberg. Journalistic activity as a theater and music critic have been added to musicological publications, among them in the new edition of MGG and collaboration as scientific advisor for the "Baltic area", also in the specialized review «organ - Journal fur die Orgel».

She is also founder and Artistic Director of the "Internationaler Orgelherbst Deidesheim."

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Elke Völker - organ:

Music for Organ & Violin
Saturday, May 6, 2006
7:30 p.m.
Tickets $20

AND
Sunday, May 7, 2006
7:30 p.m.
Tickets $10/$5