Biography

Prof. Dr. Thomas Offermann began to play the Guitar at the age of seven.

Guitarist:

As Soloist, with Orquestras, as Chamber Musician in different Ensembles and together with the internationally outstanding DUO SONARE Thomas travelled to more than 40 countries worldwide.

Concerts, Master classes, Member of Juries and lectures at the important Guitar Festivals of the world and at numerous international Music Universities.

Numerous international Radio and TV productions, eight CD Recordings with DUO SONARE.

Together with the Duo Sonare; since 1985 Thomas was amongst the first to open the repertoire of the Classical Guitar to music by composers such as Chick Corea, Frank Zappa or Mike Oldflield. Chick Corea wrote enthusiastically about their playing of his pieces with „so much feeling and beauty“.

After his severe Illness in 1996, Thomas gave up playing concerts in 2002. Ever since, he focusses his interest on teaching, writing, conducting and holdings lectures at Guitar Festivals and Universities.

As a D'Addario Artist, since 2010 Thomas represents D'Addario Strings/New York as D'Addario's "European Classical Guitar Representative".

Education/Training:

Doctorate in 2014 (Dr. phil.); title of the dissertation: "The Integrative Guitar Technique"

He studied at the Musikhochschule Köln (Classes Tadashi Sasaki and Hubert Käppel, and graduated “with distinction”. Thomas was also awarded the “Solistendiplom der Musikakademie Basel” (Class Oscar Ghiglia)

Further teachers: AMADEUS–String Quartett, Manuel Barrueco, Leo Brouwer, David Russell, Karl Scheit, John Williams.

Thomas was awarded several scholarships by the DAAD and also was awardee of the “Richard-Doerken-Stiftung”; he was Finalist and prizewinner at several international Guitar Competitions (International Scandinavian Guitar Competition, Finland, Certamen International „Andres Segovia“ und Certamen International „Francisco Tárrega“, Spain).