Patrick Bebelaar


Patrick Josef Bebelaar is a German musician and composer. He is positioned as "inventive pianist between jazz and classical music".

Life and work

Music

Bebelaar began piano lessons with Georg Ruby and Richie Beirach and after graduating from high school in 1993 he studied at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart with Paul Schwarz. Along with Frank Kroll and Bernd Settelmayer he is a member of the group Limes X. For many years, he worked together with musicians such as Michel Godard, Herbert Joos, Joe Fonda, Prakash Maharaj, Vikash Maharaj, Hakim Ludin, Friedemann Dähn, Vincent Klink, Günter "Baby" Sommer, Ulrich Süße and Mike Rossi. He had performances in Europe, South Africa, North America and India.
His music and compositions are imbued with free jazz and ethno jazz. Folkloric themes play a role as well as free improvisation. His work Pantheon builds on the Mass in B minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. In 2001, Bebelaar composed the commissioned work "Point of View" for the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart, followed by compositions for the city of Esslingen and many more.

Social activism and teaching

Since 2000, he has been organizing master classes and concerts as a volunteer in the townships of South Africa, together with Darius Brubeck, the son of Dave Brubeck. They have been teaching and playing in various young people's projects. In addition, Bebelaar teaches at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town. As part of the 2010 World Cup and financed by Daimler, Bebelaar performed with colleagues in South Africa. In Germany he held a teaching position at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart from 2006 to 2012. Since the summer term of 2013, Bebelaar has been teaching jazz / pop at the University of Sacred Music in Tübingen. He has held the office of vice-rector there since February 2014.

Reviews

The press describes his style:
Bebelaar received several grants from the University of Natal, Durban, the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg and from the Hermann Haake Foundation. In 2000 Bebelaar was awarded the Jazz Award Baden-Württemberg. In 2003 he received the "Special Award" of the Kingdom of Kwazulu Natal for his teaching activities. The South African Association for Jazz Education awarded him in 2005 for his "Outstanding Service to Jazz Education". In 2008 he was an Artist in Residence at the University of Cape Town. The CD Three Seasons " was awarded " Album of the Year 2014 " by The New York City Jazz Record.
His production 'Stupor Mundi' '' was awarded The German Record Critics' Award, an annual German prize presented for achievement in recorded music.

Discography