- country:Switzerland
- style(s):Global Fusion, New Age
- label:Universal
- artist posted by:Bremme & Hohensee GbR
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Born on October 4th, 1953 in Zurich. His father Hans Vollenweider is one of Europe's leading organists. Andreas grows up in a creatively diverse and inspiring environment. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he searches for 'his' instrument.
In 1975, he discovers the harp and develops his own style - tailoring the instrument according to his needs. Thus, he creates a new instrument for himself: the electro-acoustic harp. Vollenweider composes for film, theater and TV productions.
1979 marks his Swiss debut album "Eine Art Suite in XIII Teilen", which is considered as the cradle of the Vollenweider sound.
Two years later, in 1981, Andreas Vollenweider & Friends perform their first show, at the world-renowned Montreux jazz festival. The following autumn sees the release of the album "Behind The Gardens, Behind The Wall, Under The Tree...". This proves to be a success with both critics and the audience, putting Vollenweider's distinct sound on the map.
In 1983, he emphasises his commitment to the environmental and peace movements with the single "Pace Verde" and its much-talked about video. In the same year, he receives an Edison Award in Amsterdam for his innovative sound.
A year later, his 1983 album "White Winds" breaks through in no less than three US-charts in the pop, classical and jazz categories. His first US tour is hugely successful.
He plays 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 and the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.
In 1987, Vollenweider's 1984 album "Down To The Moon" receives a Grammy Award - followed by tours in Canada, the US, thirteen European countries, Japan and Australia.
The dynamic album "Dancing With The Lions" is created in 1988 and 1989. For the first time, Vollenweider opens his project to numerous guests from a wide range of musical genres. He directs and produces two award-winning videos, for which he also contributes to the storyline, the choreography and the set and costume designs.
The double album "Trilogy" is released in 1990 - a selection of the first three albums "Behind The Gardens", "Caverna Magica", "White Winds" and previously unreleased material.
1991 follows with the album "Book of Roses", on which Vollenweider includes symphonic orchestral elements for the first time.
In 1992, he participates in a benefit show for Chernobyl's children on Moscow's Red Square. He receives the World Music Award in Monaco.
For the first time, Vollenweider produces an album with vocals: 1993 -1994 "Eolian Minstrels" with contributions from US singers Carly Simon and Eliza Gilkyson. The release is followed by worldwide tours.
In 1994, he performs at the Pavarotti and Friends event in Modena (Italy), where he plays duets with Luciano Pavarotti and rock balladeer Bryan Adams.
Until 1997, he plays a series of shows in remarkable locations: a tour of Polish castles, a show with Italian singer/songwriter Zucchero at the 2500 m high location (at -8 Celcius) of Brunico in the Southern Alps and in a giant volcanic cave at Lanzarote's Festival Musica Visual.
After doing tours and open air shows in Europe and the US, he plays for the first time in Latin America in 1995.
In 1998, he starts to record "Kryptos", a work for symphonic orchestras and guest virtuosos from all over the world. Parts of "Kryptos" are performed with the RAI orchestra at Italy's San Remo festival.
Vollenweider initiates a symphonic live project called "Wolkenstein" in 1998. The release of these recordings is currently being prepared.
In 1999, Vollenweider returns to free improvisation and intimate musical dialogues with his album COSMOPOLY. He invites 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 Nuñez, the American songwriter-legend Carly Simon, the American blues-trombone-master Ray Anderson...
2000, travelling with the COSMOPOLY project through Europe. With the almost daily changing configuration of musicians, Vollenweider is following the open concept of the album. In New York they play two concerts for the release of COSMOPOLY in the US. This time, Andreas’ friend Carly Simon joins 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.
2001, Andreas performs in Bali (Indonesia) at the international conference “song of convergence” with Balinese musicians.
He starts writing the symphonic novel “Tales of Kira Kutan”, which premiered at the Warsaw Film Music Festival 2001, with the orchestra Sinfonia Varsowia (Yehudi Menuhin), conducted by co-orchestrator André Bellmont.
September, Athens (Greece), at the old Olympic stadium; theaterpiece “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, performs 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, includes performance at the “Big Chill Festival” in England, tour continues in the fall 02.
Guest performance at the birthday concert of Jazzcomposer 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, continues work with Hans Zimmer.
Performing with mini orchestra in South Africa’s Johannesburg and at the “North Sea Festival” in Kapetown, guest performer Pops Mohamed.
Rest of 2003 for writing and recording the official “new Vollenweider album 2004”, to be released on mayor label beginning of 2004.
In the 20-year span of his career, Andreas Vollenweider has sold over ten million albums with his trademark sound that exudes not only tranquillity, but also movement. His harp playing is similar to a diamond: it is of an unequalled clarity, brilliance and sharpness. Untypical of the usual harp sounds, his is so concrete that it reaches into the subconscious, while at the same time setting trains of thought in motion. Vollenweider's music is "so complete, that it is reminiscent of a lost lust for life. It takes the audience – jaded by the information age – into an idyllic Arcadia of gentle, atmospheric sounds and wonderfully lyrical melodies." (From: allblues.ch)