Jan Kobow German classical tenor Country: Germany

Biography of Jan Kobow

Jan Kobow, a German classical tenor, specializes in baroque opera, concert performances, and German Lied, often with pastoral or romantic love themes. He was born in 1966 in Berlin, where he spent his childhood. Kobow began his singing career as a soloist in the Berlin choir 'Staats- und Domchor' under the direction of Christian Grube. He studied organ at the private music school Schola Cantorum in Paris and graduated from the University of Music and Theater in Hannover in 1994. He further honed his vocal skills at the Hamburg University of Music and Theater under the guidance of Sabine Kirchner, completing his studies in 1999.

Kobow has collaborated with notable figures such as Austrian conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt. He participated in John Eliot Gardiner's 'Bach Cantata Pilgrimage' concert tour and performed with the Monteverdi Choir.

In 2002, Kobow recorded several cantatas by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel under the direction of Ludger Remy. The project featured four exceptional soloists forming a beautiful choir. In 2003, he took part in the recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's cantatas with conductor Philippe Herreweghe and the renowned Collegium Vocale Gent choir, alongside Johannette Zomer and Ingeborg Danz. One of the recorded cantatas was 'Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 2,' composed by Bach in 1724.

In 2007, Kobow continued his work with major vocal-instrumental works by Bach. He collaborated once again with Herreweghe and had the opportunity to learn from Dorothy Mields and Matthew White. In the same year, Kobow performed as a tenor, singing arias from Bach's sacred oratorio 'St John Passion' at Alice Tully Hall. In 2008, he took on the role of the Evangelist in the same Passion, but this time composed by Robert Schumann. One review praised his interpretation of the Evangelist as brilliant, convincingly dramatic, and remarkably smooth, highlighting his impressive vocal range.

Kobow's repertoire includes baroque operas. In 2004, he performed the role of Ulysses' son in Claudio Monteverdi's musical drama 'Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria' at the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie. This opera was also staged at the Lincoln Center in New York, Caen, and Luxembourg. In 2007, he played the leading role in the concert performance of 'Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria,' conducted by Christophe Rousset with the baroque orchestra Les Talens Lyriques.

In the realm of German Lied, Kobow is responsible for performing vocal cycles by Schubert, such as 'Die schöne Müllerin' and 'Schwanengesang,' as well as ballads by Carl Loewe and others. In 2010, he participated in the project 'Robert Schumann: Sammlung von Musik-Stücken alter und neuer Zeit' on Radio Bremen. The successful project resulted in the release of several CDs and a series of musical broadcasts.

Kobow co-founded the ensemble 'Himlische Cantorey,' which focuses on works by Claudio Monteverdi, John Dowland, and others.

In 1998, he won first prize at the 11th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition held in Leipzig.