STEFAN ENGELS

Biography

Stefan Engels began his tenure as Professor of Organ in the fall of 2005 at one of Europe’s most prestigious and oldest musical institutions, the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig, Germany.  This appointment was preceded by his position as Associate Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey (1999 until 2005).  He maintains a vigorous international concert schedule and is a sought-after teacher, having presented lectures and master classes across the European continent, North America and South Korea. His church positions while living in the US included Organ scholar at Northwestern University, Associate Organist at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and Principal Organist at First Presbyterian Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Engels has recorded two highly acclaimed Dupré CDs on the Naxos label and one CD with works of Karg-Elert, Reger, Messiaen, and Germani on the Priory label as part of the Great European Organ Series. His specialization in the organ works of Sigfrid Karg-Elert has resulted in the world premiere recording of the complete organ works of Karg-Elert, also on the Priory label. In this ongoing project, the first three CDs are available for sale.

Mr. Engels received his broad musical education in Germany and the US. He studied organ, piano, harpsichord, conducting and church music at the Musikhochschulen in Aachen, Düsseldorf, and Köln, and from 1993-1998 he pursued further organ studies with Robert Anderson in Dallas and Wolfgang Rübsam in Chicago.  In 1998 Mr. Engels was awarded the “Concerto Gold Medal” at the Calgary International Organ Competition.

Revised September 2006