Ekhart Wycik – Conductor

(September 12, 2023)

Ekhart Wycik is one of the most versatile conductors of his generation. His broad repertoire in opera and concerts, stylistic flexibility, and ability to step in at short notice have made him a welcome guest with various orchestras throughout Europe.

In 2022, he took over a concert featuring Shostakovich's 5th Symphony [1] with the Neue Philharmonie München in the Herkulessaal within a few hours. In 2018, he substituted for Christian Thielemann at the closing concert of the 9th Franz Liszt Piano Competition [2] Weimar - Bayreuth.

In 2023, the Göttinger Sinfonie-Orchester will open a new concert series with moderation "Klassik | Neu | Hören" [3] with him. 

His British Opera début, Mozart's "The Magic Flute," opened Glasgow’s Scottish Opera as part of their 50th season [4], and was recognized by the British "Guardian" as one of UK’s "Top 10 Best Classical Music”.

His Italian opera debut with "Hänsel and Gretel" [5] at the Teatro Comunale di Bolzano was selected by "operaclick" as one of the best productions in Europe.

Following his acclaimed debut at the Sarasota Opera in Florida, USA, with Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Golden Cockerel," he was immediately invited back to conduct "Fidelio”. The reviews mention “vital and dramatic playing with fine balancing, and supporting the singers with fine skill.” [6].

Until 2010, Ekhart Wycik held the positions of Associated GMD and 1st Kapellmeister at the Theater Dortmund, both nationally and internationally. Additionally, he served as Principal Guest Conductor at the Wichita Grand Opera in the USA. Since 2010, he has been teaching as a lecturer at the music conservatories in Saarbrücken, Cologne (Opera School), and Düsseldorf (Conducting).

Among his extensive opera repertoire, including over 70 conducted works, he successfully directed his own productions of "Der Rosenkavalier," "Salome" [7], Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Golden Cockerel," Weber's "Der Freischütz" [8], and major Mozart and Verdi operas in Dortmund. He also conducted repertoire performances such as "Madama Butterfly," "Tosca," "Lohengrin," "Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci" [9], and Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress." His performances included "Tosca" at the Landestheater Innsbruck, "The Rake's Progress" at the Bühnen in Krefeld, the world premiere of "Der Prinz von Jemen" [10] at the Staatstheater Darmstadt, "The Magic Flute" in Korea, "Aida," "La Traviata," and "The Pearl Fishers" in the USA, amongst others.

Since his short-time conducting Mahler's 5th Symphony, he worked for several years as an assistant conductor to Gustav Kuhn, assisting in productions such as "Elektra," "Tristan," Wagner’s “Ring," and symphonic repertoire such as Brahms, Mahler, and Bruckner.

In the realm of concerts, Ekhart Wycik worked with various orchestras, including DSO Berlin, Staatskapelle Halle, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, Berliner Symphoniker, Bochumer Sinfoniker, RSO Saarbrücken, Frankfurt Museum Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie, as well as orchestras in Austria, Hungary, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, and the USA.

Ekhart Wycik was invited as a guest professor to Indiana University/Bloomington, where he was responsible for the re-staging of "Der Rosenkavalier," alongside a highly acclaimed symphony concert [11]. This guest professorship was supported by a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

2015 - 2022, he served as the Music Director of the Inese Galante Festival [12] in Riga, Latvia.

Ekhart Wycik completed his studies in Düsseldorf and Vienna, specializing in conducting, musicology, and philosophy, graduating "with honors." His continued his studies at masterclasses with Heinz Rögner/Leipzig, Rolf Reuter/Berlin, Sergiu Celibidache/Munich, and Leif Segerstam/Helsinki. He conducted the final concerts of the Vienna Masterclasses and the Furtwängler Conducting Workshop in Mürzzuschlag, Austria.

Wycik is a recipient of the "Bielefelder Operntaler" award, a multiple scholarship holder of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Richard Wagner Association, and has worked as an assistant at the Opera Festivals in Verona and Erl/Tyrol. Starting in 1993, Wycik received support from the Dirigentenforum (now Forum Dirigieren) of the German Music Council and was awarded the Förderpreis of the International Furtwängler Conducting Workshop in Mürzzuschlag.

In addition to his conducting activities, Ekhart Wycik has been involved in cultural marketing and music education, working as a radio host for SR2 KulturRadio and as interview partner for Bayrischer Rundfunk and DeutschlandRadio Berlin, as well as by the British BBC and the Italian RAI 3.

Since October 2016, Ekhart Wycik holds the position of Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar [13], succeeding Prof. Gunter Kahlert, and working closely in team teaching with Prof. Nicolás Pasquet. Alumni of the Weimar conducting class hold leading positions with orchestras and opera houses across Europe.