Thomas Offermann

Thomas Offermann is one of the most respected international guitar pedagogues. Thomas has performed as a soloist, with orchestras, as a chamber musician and together with the Duo Sonare, one of the world’s outstanding guitar ensembles, in more than 40 countries world-wide. With Duo Sonare he recorded 8 CDs all of which have won great acclaim from both critics and public, and they witness the outstanding quality of his work. Together with the Duo Sonare Thomas was the first to open the repertoire of the classical guitar to music made by composers such as Chick Corea, Frank Zappa or Mike Oldfield. Chick Corea wrote enthusiastically about their playing of his pieces with “so much feeling and beauty”. As Professor and Chairman of the guitar department he teaches on International Master class at the HMT Rostock. His sensitive and meticulous approach, together with an extraordinary capacity for motivation, has made him a much appreciated guitar trainer. His researches on the Integrative Guitar Technique made him a highly respected advisor in the guitar world. As a conductor he participated in projects about music of Steve Reich, Roland Dyens, Benjamin Verdery, Leo Brouwer and others. Danielle Ribouillault wrote in Les Cahiers de la Guitare on his teaching: “As I entered the class, he explaines how to use the notes to revive a phrase.. and then you can hear how the phrase flourishes and starts to live. He orientates the student to a generous Rubato that lets the melody vibrate. He, who had played with such a musicality and mastery, knows how to transmit his live-giving esprit… A lot of students attended his class: clearly because something strong happens with him during his passionate transmission of music, something essential and more intense than otherwise.“