Biography

Thilo Wolf (1967) is Pianist, Composer and Arranger. He leads his own formations, the "Thilo Wolf Big Band" and the "Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartet".

His first love is pulsating, swinging Jazz but he is also open for crossover projects like concerts with the classical "Berliner Saxophon Ensemble" or the "Klassik & Jazz" tour with the "Windsbacher Knabenchor" (Windsbacher Boys Choir) of Windsbach, Germany.

Thilo Wolf and his formations have been performing in concerts throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Great Britain, in concert halls such as the Philharmonic in Munich or Dortmund, as well as at numerous jazz festivals at Burghausen, Oberkochen, Erding and the "Augsburger Jazzsommer". His cross over projects led to concerts at classic festivals: "MDR-Kultursommer", "Rheingau-Musikfestival" and "Internationales Beethoven Fest" in Bonn.

Thilo Wolf learned to play the piano and other instruments, i.e.: contrabass and drums. Already in his youth he obtained many awards, amongst them the "Förderpreis" of his home town Fürth (1986), of the Theaterverein Fürth (1982) and the first price at the "Forum junger deutscher Komponisten für Orchestermusik" (1984). Furthermore, Thilo Wolf was winner (1983) and holder of a scholarship by the newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten. His musical education was exclusively formed by private tutors like Charly Antolini (drums). Parallel to his musical studies he graduated with honors in Business Administration from the University Erlangen-Nürnberg. Other awards include the "Louis-Armstrong Memorial Award" (2004) as well the "Grosse Kulturpreis der Stadt Fürth" (2004). These different awards have similar objectives: to recognize and promote the work of artists, young or old.

The big dream in his early youth was to form his own Big Band. At 16 he wrote his first big band arrangement and in 1992, at 25, his dream came through with the first airing of "SWING IT" with the Thilo Wolf Big Band and guests, a series of evening filling television shows produced by Bavarian Television. In 2002 "SWING IT" was named "The Best Jazz Broadcast of the Year" by "Swinging Hamburg e.V.", a society dedicated to preserve and promote Jazz.

Thilo Wolf does not see himself as jazz purist. In addition to his own projects he writes, arranges and produces CD- and Music recordings for film (i.e.: "Regina auf den Stufen" with Katja Riemann), for television and radio (ARD TV Shows: "Lieder sind mein Leben" = "Songs are my life",  "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" = "Heartfelt Congratulations" with Michael Schanze). Other works as composer-arranger include production for and with recording artists Bill Ramsey, Al Martino, Angelika Milster, for orchestras such as the RIAS Big Band, HR Big Band, the New York Strings, the Babelsberger Filmorchester or the Munich Radio Orchestra.

Since earlier this year (2007) Thilo Wolf is musical director for productions by Theater Fürth. The very successful productions are "Petticoat & Schickedance" and "The Last Five Years".

CD productions and concerts led to cooperation with many times Grammy award winners Diane Schuur and New York Voices as well as with John Pizzarelli, Randy Brecker, James Morrison and many others. Thilo Wolf produced and published over 20 CDs in New York, Munich and Berlin with over a quarter million copies sold.