Philipp Maintz was born in Aachen in 1977, where he received his first composition lessons from Michael Reudenbach in 1993. From 1997 he studied composition with Robert HP Platz at the Maastricht Conservatory, graduating with distinction in 2003. Further study visits at the CRFMW (Centre de Recherches et de Formations Musicales de Wallonie) of the Université de Liège and at IRCAM in Paris followed, as well as from 2003 to 2005 with Karlheinz Essl at the Studio For Advanced Music & Media Technology in Linz. Philipp Maintz has received numerous awards and grants: 2002 from the International Summer Course for New Music in Darmstadt and the International Gaudeamus Music Week in Amsterdam, 2004 from the Künstlerhof Schreyahn in Lower Saxony, 2005 the sponsorship award from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, 2006 the grant from the Wilfried-Steinbrenner-Foundation. This was followed by a study visit to the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in 2007, a residency grant from the Akademie Schloss Solitude in 2009 and a grant from the German Academy in Rome Villa Massimo in 2010. His opera “MALDOROR” premiered at the Munich Biennale for New Music Theater in 2010. In 2013 he was Artiste résident at Château de Chambord on the Loire and in 2015/16 he was awarded the scholarship of the Free State of Bavaria for the Villa Concordia Bamberg, in 2018 he received the Eduard-Arnhold-Scholarship of the Wilhelm Kempff Kulturstiftung in Positano, Italy. In 2019 his chamber opera “THÉRÈSE” based on Emile Zola and a libretto by Otto Katzameier premiered at the Salzburg Easter Festival and at the Hamburg State Opera. For the 2020/21 season, BOZAR Brussels and the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège commissioned the concerto for organ and orchestra “de figuris” for the organist László Fassang, as well as a new version of the “piano concerto”, which was premiered by Joonas Ahonen and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop. In the summer of 2022, the Aurora Orchestra under Nicholas Collon performed the orchestral work “red china green house” at the Cologne Philharmonie, followed in 2024 by the world premiere of the work “der zerfall einer illusion in farbige scherben” by the WDR Symphony Orchestra under Sylvain Cambreling.
In the 2024/25 season, Philipp Maintz will be portrayed in his hometown of Aachen as Composer in Focus of the local symphony orchestra with four major works, including a world premiere. A highlight of this season is the performance of his cello concerto “upon a moment’s shallow rim” with Johannes Moser as soloist and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under Markus Poschner in Berlin. In addition, the works “jag die hunde zurück!” for six sopranos and six percussionists will be performed for the first time by Christoph Sietzen, his ensemble MOTUS and the ladies of the WDR Rundfunkchor at the Cologne Philharmonie and Wien Modern, and his second string quartet “maintenant. pas encore. plus jamais.” will be performed by the Quatuor Diotima at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig and the Brucknerhaus in Linz.
In addition to soloists such as Hansjörg Albrecht, Yulianna Avdeeva, Claudia Barainsky, Francesco Filidei, Alban Gerhardt, Otto Katzameier, Melise Mellinger, Marisol Montalvo, Nils Mönkemeyer, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, the interpreters of his music also include the Arditti String Quartet and the Minguet Quartet, Ensemble Alternance, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Ensemble Recherche, Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin, the Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic, Ensemble Modern, MusikFabrik NRW, the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, the German Radio Philharmonic Saarbrücken, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Aachen and Basel Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Orchester Philharmonique du Luxembourg and the Orchester Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo alongside the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien and the Munich Philharmonic.
| composer_first_name | composer_last_name | title | date | orchestra | conductor | location | special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Seither | Neues Werk für Stimme und Klavier | 05.07.2025 | Dietrich Henschel (Bariton), Anne Le Bozec (Klavier) | Bad Kissingen (Kissinger Sommer, Liederwerkstatt) | Uraufführung | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XIX (wie schön leucht uns der morgenstern) für orgel solo | 18.07.2025 | Georg Gottschlich (Orgel) | Berlin (St. Marien Friedenau) | ||
| Andrea Lorenzo | Scartazzini | Enigma für Orchester | 18.07.2025 | Jenaer Philharmonie | Simon Gaudenz | Toblach (Mahler Festwochen) | |
| Beat | Furrer | Prophezeiungen – für Alt, Kontrabassklarinette und Akkordeon | 19.07.2025 | Helena Sorokina (Alt), Marco Sala (Kontrabassklarinette), Krassimir Sterev (Akkordeon), Cantando Admont | Cordula Bürgi | Salzburg (Salzburger Festspiele, Kollegienkirche) | |
| Manfred | Trojahn | Streichquartett Nr. 3 | 26.07.2025 | Kuss Quartett | Hitzacker (Sommerliche Musiktage) | ||
| Beat | Furrer | Prophezeiungen – für Alt, Kontrabassklarinette und Akkordeon | 27.07.2025 | Helena Sorokina (Alt), Marco Sala (Kontrab.klarinette), Krassimir Sterev (Akk.), Cantando Admont | Cordula Bürgi | Ossiach (Carinthischer Sommer, Stiftskirche) | |
| Charlotte | Seither | „ahnst du“ für Orchester, Chor und Vokalensemble | 02.08.2025 | Orchester, Chor und Vokalensemble der Musikakademie der Studienstiftung | Martin Wettges | Bruneck (Intercable Arena) | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVII (so nimm denn meine hände) choralvorspiel XXXVII (so nimm denn meine hände) | 07.08.2025 | Leo van Doeselaar (Orgel) | Kampen (Bovenkerk) | Niederländische Erstauff. | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVIII (schmücke dich, o liebe seele) | 13.08.2025 | Anna-Victoria Baltrusch | Trier (Konstantinbasilika) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVIII (schmücke dich, o liebe seele) | 17.08.2025 | Anna-Victoria Baltrusch | Fulda (Dom St. Salvator) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel III (die nacht ist vorgedrungen) für orgel solo | 22.08.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | Berlin (Internationaler Orgelsommer, Dom) | ||
| Dieter | Ammann | Viola Concerto „No templates“ | 30.08.2025 | Tabea Zimmermann (Viola) Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra | David Robertson | Luzern (Lucerne Festival) | |
| Bernd Alois | Zimmermann | Musique pour les soupers du Roi Ubu | 31.08.2025 | Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin | Anja Bihlmaier | Bonn | |
| Beat | Furrer | Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 | 03.09.2025 | Francesco Piemontesi (Klavier), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande | Jonathan Nott | Genf (Victoria Hall) | Urauff., auch 4.9. Genf |
| Dieter | Ammann | Violation für Violoncello und Orchester | 14.09.2025 | Sol Gabetta (Violoncello), Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra | Riccardo Chailly | Luzern (Lucerne Festival) | |
| Matthias | Pintscher | NUR für Klavier und Ensemble | 26.09.2025 | Conrad Tao (Klavier), Konzerthausorchester Berlin | Matthias Pintscher | Berlin (Konzerthaus) | auch 27.9. |
| Beat | Furrer | PHAOS für Orchester | 28.09.2025 | Basel Sinfonietta | Titus Engel | Basel (Stadtcasino) | Schweizer Erstauff. |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel IX (erbarm dich mein, o herre gott) für orgel solo | 06.10.2025 | Henry Fairs (Orgel) | Berlin (Maria unter dem Kreuz, Vierter Orgelzyklus) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | englouti, haché | 11.10.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | Madrid (Auditorio nacional de Música) | Span. Erstauff. | |
| Dieter | Ammann | Viola Concerto „No templates“ | 16.10.2025 | Nils Mönkemeyer (Viola), Münchener Kammerorchester | Bas Wiegers | München (Prinzregententheater) | |
| Manfred | Trojahn | Herbstmusik - Sinfonischer Satz | 23.10.2025 | Tiroler Symphonieorchester | Gerrit Prießnitz | Innsbruck (Congress) | auch 24.10. |
| Beat | Furrer | Studie III für Klavier solo | 02.11.2025 | Filippo Gorini (Klavier) | Hong Kong (City Hall) | Uraufführung | |
| Beat | Furrer | PHAOS für Orchester | 02.11.2025 | Basel Sinfonietta | Titus Engel | Essen (Philharmonie) | |
| Andrea Lorenzo | Scartazzini | Earth für Orchester (Neues Werk zum 200. Jubiläum der Bremer Philharmoniker) | 02.11.2025 | Bremer Philharmoniker | Marko Letonja | Bremen (Die Glocke) | Urauff., auch 3.11. |
| Giselher | Klebe | Das Mädchen aus Domrémy | 23.11.2025 | Alexander Hannemann, Regie: Michael Dissmeier | Detmold (Hochschule für Musik) | ||
| Lubica | Cekovská | Toy Procession or orchestra | 28.11.2025 | Houston Symphony Orchestra | Juraj Valcuha | Houston (Jones Hall) | Uraufführung |
| Philipp | Maintz | jag die hunde zurück! für sechs soprane und sechs schlagzeuger | 29.11.2025 | N. Senatskaya/S. Bódi/I. Balzer-Wolf/C. Vélez Murcia/H. Kim/M. Viera (Soprane), Christoph Sietzen | Wien (Festival Wien Modern, Konzerthaus) | Österr. Erstaufführung | |
| Philipp | Maintz | haché für orgel solo, englouti für orgel solo | 09.12.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | München (musica viva, Herkulessaal der Residenz) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel II (rorate cæli desuper) für orgel solo | 14.12.2025 | Andreas Sieling (Orgel) | Berlin (Dom) | Uraufführung | |
| Beat | Furrer | „Ira-Arca“ für Bassflöte und Kontrabass | 20.01.2026 | Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin | Berlin (Konzerthaus) |
Philipp Maintz is “Composer in Focus” in Aachen
Philipp Maintz, born in Aachen, returns to his native city as “Composer in Focus” in a season for the anniversary of the Symphony Orchestra. The high point will be the world premiere of his orchestral work “ariadne faden”.
In the 2024/25 season the Theater Aachen celebrates its 200th anniversary. Appropriately, for its “Composer in Focus” Philipp Maintz, a local boy, has been chosen. Maintz was born in 1977 in Aachen, grew up and was educated there. That is where he took his first steps in music and made his first public appearance with his first compositions. He “almost lived at certain times” in the well-organised music section of the public library where he “worked through the history of music” (Maintz). Alongside scores by Berio, Penderecki, Reimann and Stockhausen he also encountered editions by his future publisher for the first time.
The composer has a special relationship to the Theater Aachen. Here, he saw his first contemporary opera, Marat by Walter Haupt – a “great spectacle” and an impressive and formative experience. From that day onwards he harboured the wish to also write such a great opera in “wide-screen format”. In 2008 his second orchestral work, archipel, was premiered by the Aachen Symphony Orchestra, and the composer still remembers the “tumultuous applause” after the performances. Two years later, the Theater Aachen produced Maintz’s first opera “Maldoror” with the Munich Biennale – a successful production which was also very well-received by audiences. “That was an exciting time and quite simply brought me a great deal of pleasure”, the composer recalls. His pleasure at being able to work with the Aachen Symphony Orchestra again is all the greater.
On 22 and 23 September the first German performances of the Concerto for Piano and Large Orchestra took place, conducted by Aachen Music Director Christopher Ward with pianist Joonas Ahonen. As well as a chamber concert and an ensemble concert, organ music by Philipp Maintz in Aachen Cathedral also features in the anniversary season programme. But the high point of the collaboration will be the first performance of his new orchestral work “ariadne faden” in the fourth Symphony Concert on 16 and 17 February 2025, conducted by Marc Niemann. As earlier in his preceding orchestral work “der zerfall einer illusion in farbige scherben” [The disintegration of an illusion into coloured shards] (world premiere: Cologne 22.6.2024), Maintz has again used an accordion in his new score, an instrument which is not typically found in the forces of a classical orchestra. Thus it can spin threads and lines, as it were “from outside”, which “stimulate the orchestra and make it bloom”. The special idea of the piece, hinted at in both the title and the subtitle, is the study of the classical form of sonata first movement form. The contemplation of the sequence of thesis – antithesis – synthesis experiences a new perspective alongside the formal and the melodic-harmonic – that of instrumental colour. This new perspective also says “something about our time, in the way that the unusual and the atypical can depict a special enrichment”. And it is no coincidence that the composer is preoccupied with this idea in this commission for the Aachen Symphony Orchestra: “For where better to unfold this narrative than with the orchestra of a city which lies in the centre of Europe and where, since my childhood, it has been completely natural to me to look beyond my own horizons.”
Robert Krampe
(translation: Elizabeth Robinson / from [t]akte 2/2024)
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