Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?
I grew up in a very musical home and watched my older siblings play their instruments, that was the initial inspiration. Then I was very lucky to have a great first trumpet teacher, who challenged me but also made me fall in love with the music. My teachers, Reinhold Friedrich and Matthias Höfs, were a huge influence on my career, so are my chamber music partners, and of course the great orchestras and conductors I had the pleasure of working with so far.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
When I first got the job at the Berliner Philharmoniker I still had to finish my contract with the Staatsoper Hamburg – so for one year I had to go back and forth between Hamburg and Berlin and prepare a lot of programmes; that was a pretty intense time.
Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?
Of course I’m very proud of my first album ‘Core’ – it’s been a dream to record these pieces for a very long time!
It’s hard to pick from so many great concerts, but one performance that will always be very special to me is when I played Mahlers 3rd Symphony as pincipal trumpet with Zubin Mehta with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?
Well, that is a hard question to answer for oneself… I can say that I genuinely enjoy playing in very different styles, playing pieces by all kinds of different composers and from any epoch. Trying new things is very important to me.
What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?
I find it truly inspiring to teach young students and I learn so much from working with them! Other than that, I mostly enjoy just spending time at home with my family and recharging.
How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?
I’m always searching for new challenges and new repertoire. For example this year I did some recordings of pieces by fairly unknown composers – e.g. a double concerto by the female composer Grete von Zieritz, a sonata by Miloslaw Kabelac and two trumpet suites by Hans Winterberg, a jewish composer who’s work has just been rediscovered.
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?
Easy: The Berlin Philharmonie. It’s such a warm place and you feel (and truly are) surrounded by the audience. And of course the acoustics are unparalleled.
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?
I think that the atmosphere in concerts needs to be more relaxed – there are no wrong times to clap, nothing wrong to wear… Also of course we need to work closely with children: visit them at school, physically show them how an instrument is played, try to ignite the love for music in them. Unfortunately the music lessons at schools get less and less every year…
What is your most memorable concert experience?
In 2008 I went to Madagascar with a brass ensemble and we played an open-air concert at an orphanage – the kids were dancing and it was such a special atmosphere that I’ll never forget! I’ve never seen an audience so happy and thankful for the music we were playing.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
When I’m able to do what is important to me and reach some people by doing so.
What advice would you give to young/aspiring musicians?
To always set yourself challenges to keep you motivated and to never lose the initial joy you had playing your instrument.
What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about which you think we should be?
It’s slowly happening now but still not nearly enough: We have to really change our repertoire and have the diversity of our society mirrored in it.
What’s next? Where would you like to be in 10 years?
I hope that in ten years I’ll still feel so happy and lucky to be in this profession. I hope that I’ll still be as curious and ready to accept new challenges.
Berlin Philharmonic trumpet player Andre Schoch has released his first solo album ‘Core’ with an ambitious repertoire with pieces from the baroque and early classical era, recorded with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Image credit: Felix Broede
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