Samuel Kummer

He is an expert in literary play , master of organ improvisation, sought-after concert organist and mentor of the next generation of organists: Frauenkirche organist Samuel Kummer. Trained at the State University for Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart as well as in master courses by the great organists of our time, he shaped church music in Kirchheim unter Teck as district cantor in 1998.

Seven years later, Samuel Kummer was appointed organist at the Dresden Frauenkirche in 2005. Since then, he can be heard almost every day at devotions and church services as well as regularly in concerts. He is also responsible for the conceptual planning of the organ music for the church. He initiated the organ series »Dresden Organ Cycle«, »Bach Cycle«, »Literary Organ Night by Candlelight«, and »Organ Night Music by Candlelight«. His cooperation with radio stations such as the MDR, BR and the WDR complements his work at the Frauenkirche.

Samuel Kummer performs concerts in many European countries, Central America, the USA and Japan. He was, among other things, a guest in the most important cathedrals, including Versailles, Brussels, Riga, Cologne, Berlin, Regensburg, Ulm, Mexico City, Mormon Tabernacle Salt Lake City. He has also played in the most important concert halls such as the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Opera City, the Suntory Hall and the Lilia Hall in Tokyo. He appeared at renowned festivals such as the Lucerne Festival, the Styriarte Festival and the Hildebrandt Days in Naumburg. As a soloist he has given concerts with the Russian State Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Dresden Philharmonic.

Samuel Kummer is the winner of international organ competitions (»Concours L'Europe et L'Orgue« Maastricht 1996 (1st prize), »International Organ Competition Odense« 1998). His recordings of organ works by Bach and Duruflé as well as Vierne, Symphony No. 3 and No. 5 (Dapason dʼOr 9/2008) earned unanimous praise in the national and international specialist press.

Since 2007 he has been a lecturer for organ improvisation and literary play at the Dresden University of Church Music.