2019 Guest Artist

The pianist and musicologist Jascha Nemtsov was born in Magadan (Siberia) in 1963 and grew up in Saint Petersburg where he graduated from a special music school and was awarded a gold medal. He then continued his musical education at the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory where he graduated with a concert diploma, with distinction. Since 1992 he lives in Germany. 

As a pianist he has recorded almost 40 CDs. Many of his CDs have been honoured with various international distinctions, among them the German Record Critics Prize (2007). In 2012, he performed in the German Bundestag on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of the victims of National Socialism. Jascha Nemtsov plays solo concerts as well as participates in various chamber music formations in Europe, Israel, Russia, Canada and the USA. In 2018, he was honoured with the most prestigious German classical music award, the Opus Klassik Award.

In his scientific works he focuses on Jewish music and Jewish composers of the 20th century. Jascha Nemtsov is a member of the School of Jewish Theology at the University of Potsdam and of the Editorial Board of the Milken Archive of Jewish Music (Santa Monica/New York). Since 2010 he is Academic Director of the Cantorial School of the Abraham Geiger College. Since 2013 he has a full position as Professor for History of Jewish Music at the Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar. 

In 2015 he founded together with Martin Kranz the ACHAVA Festival Thuringia; he is the Artistic Director of this interreligious and intercultural festival.