Andreas Vollenweider was born on October 4th, 1953 in Zurich. His
father Hans Vollenweider is one of Europe's leading organists. Andreas
grew up in a creatively diverse and inspiring environment. Composing
was always a key element of his musical development. A self-taught
multi-instrumentalist, he searched for 'his' instrument.
In 1975, he discovered the harp and developed his own style - tailoring
the instrument according to his needs. Thus, he created a new
instrument for himself: the electro-acoustic harp. Vollenweider
composed for film, theater, ballet and TV productions.
1979 marked his debut album "Eine Art Suite in XIII Teilen", which was
considered as the cradle of the Vollenweider sound.
Two years later, in 1981, Andreas Vollenweider & Friends performed
their first concert, at the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival. The
following autumn saw the release of the album "Behind The Gardens,
Behind The Wall, Under The Tree...". This proved to be a success with
both critics and the audience, putting Vollenweider's distinct sound on
the map.
In 1983, he emphasized his commitment to the environmental and peace
movements with the single "Pace Verde" and its much talked about video.
In the same year, he received an Edison Award in Amsterdam for his
innovative sound.
A year later, his 1983 album "White Winds" broke through in no less
than three US-charts in the pop, classical and jazz categories. His
first US tour was hugely successful.
He played for sold-out venues on his 1985 US-tour: conquering New
York's Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, the Kennedy Center in
Washington DC, the Greek Theatre and the Universal Amphitheatre in Los
Angeles.
In 1987, AV's 1984 album "Down To The Moon" received a Grammy Award -
followed by tours in Canada, the US, thirteen European countries, Japan
and Australia.
The dynamic album "Dancing With The Lions" was created in 1988 and
1989. For the first time, Vollenweider opened his project to numerous
guests from a wide range of musical genres (Patty Austin, Mark
O'Connor). He directed and produced two award-winning videos (New York
International Film Festival Award), for which he also created the
storyline, the choreography and the set and costume designs.
The double album "Trilogy" was released in 1990 - a selection of the
first three albums "Behind The Gardens", "Caverna Magica", "White
Winds" and previously unreleased material.
1991 followed with the cinematic album "Book of Roses", on which
Vollenweider included symphonic orchestral elements for the first time.
In 1992, he participated in a benefit concert for Chernobyl's children
on Moscow's Red Square. He received the World Music Award in Monaco.
1993 -1994, for the first time, Vollenweider produced an album with
vocals: "Eolian Minstrels" with contributions from US singers Carly
Simon and Eliza Gilkyson. The release was followed by worldwide tours.
In 1994, he performed at the Pavarotti and Friends event in Modena
(Italy), where he played duets with Luciano Pavarotti and rock
balladeer Bryan Adams, conducted by Michael Kamen.
1995, after doing tours and open air shows in Europe and the US, he
played for the first time in Latin America.
Until 1997, besides focusing on the symphonic writing, he played a
series of shows in remarkable locations: tours of European castles,
shows as special guest of legendary Italian singer/songwriter Zucchero
at the 2500 m high location (at -8 Celcius) of Brunico in the Southern
Alps. AV's first solo concert inside a giant volcanic cave at
Lanzarote's Festival Musica Visual.
In 1998, he started to record "Kryptos", a work for symphonic
orchestras and guest virtuosos from all over the world. Parts of
"Kryptos" were performed with the RAI orchestra at Italy's San Remo
festival.
Vollenweider initiated a symphonic live project called "Wolkenstein" in
1998. The release of these recordings is currently being prepared.
In 1999, AV returned to free improvisation and intimate musical
dialogues with his album Cosmopoly. He invited friends from all over
the globe to create world music in the true sense of the word: the
American vocal acrobat Bobby McFerrin, the Brazilian cult poet and
singer Milton Nascimento, the South-African ethno-jazz pianist Abdullah
Ibrahim, the 74-year old Armenian duduk legend Djivan Gasparyan and the
Galician bag-pipe and whistle virtuoso Carlos Nunez, the American
songwriter-legend Carly Simon, the American blues-trombone-master Ray
Anderson...
2000, travelling with the Cosmopoly project through Europe and the US.
With the almost daily changing configuration of musicians, Vollenweider
followed the open concept of the album. In New York they played two
concerts for the release of Cosmopoly in the US. This time, Andreas'
friend Carly Simon joined the group, as well as Mind Jostyn, Carlos
Nunez, Djivan Gasparian, XiaoJing Wang and Walter Keiser. Concerts in
Brazil with Milton Nascimento and composer/pianist Wagner Tiso.
2000, in the 20-year span of his career, Andreas Vollenweider has sold
over ten million albums with his trademark sound that exudes not only
tranquility, but also movement. "The Essential Andreas Vollenweider"
was compiled from the key songs of his creative development.
Vollenweider remixed and remastered the older recordings.
2001, Nomination for the first "Latin Grammy Award" with the song "Cor
do amor", lyrics and vocals by Brasilian Milton Nascimento. Concert
tour with South African piano legend Abdullah Ibrahim. AV performed in
Bali (Indonesia) at the international conference "song of convergence"
with Balinese musicians. He started writing the symphonic novel "Tales
of Kira Kutan", which premiered at the Warsaw Film Music Festival 2001,
with the orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia (Yehudi Menuhin), conducted by
Andre Bellmont. September, Athens (Greece), at the old Olympic stadium;
theater piece "Socrates - dawn of civilization", with the American
actor Rod Steiger as Socrates. Vollenweider's large-scale soundtrack, a
dramatic blend of sound design, choirs and percussion. "Carte Blanche"
at the AVO Festival in Basel, Switzerland, his guests (besides mini
orchestra): Abdullah Ibrahim and David Lindley.
2002, performed at the Budapest Spring Festival, Hungary. Performance
of the symphonies "Tales of Kira Kutan" and "Wolkenstein" at the
Festival "Live at Sunset" in Zurich with Sinfonia Varsovia European
summer tour with newly formed AVAF-mini orchestra, included performance
at the "Big Chill Festival" in England, tour continues in the fall
2002. Guest performance at the birthday concert of Jazz composer George
Gruntz in Zug, Switzerland. Collaboration with German filmcomposer Hans
Zimmer in Los Angeles for the movie "Tears of the Sun", starring Bruce
Willis and Monica Bellucci.
2003, continued work with Hans Zimmer. Performing with mini orchestra
in South Africa's Johannesburg and at the "North Sea Festival" in
Capetown, guest performer South African multi-instrumentalist Pops
Mohamed. Rest of 2003 for writing and recording the official "new
Vollenweider album 2004", to be released in 2004.
2004, release of then new album Vox on Universal Music, followed by
touring activities in Europe. Performances in South Africa at the
MACUFE Festival; 40,000 people chanting the Vollenweider-music, popular
in SA since the early eighties.
2005, toured with the music of Vox. Remastering of the entire catalogue
(15 albums), to be released in the US and Canada by the Savoy Label
Group, in the rest of the world on Edel Music over the span of a year.
Vox release in the USA and Canada on September 2005. Writing music for
new album, to be released late fall 2006.
