Stefan Dohr

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Stefan Dohr (born 1965) in Münster is a German horn player and currently the principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Berliner Philharmoniker). Apart from being a sought-after masterclass teacher, he teaches the horn at the Herbert von Karajan Academy.

Stefan Dohr studied with Prof. Wolfgang Wilhelmi at the Musikhochschule in Essen and with Prof. Erich Penzel in Cologne before obtaining the Solo Horn position of the Frankfurt Opera House at the age of 19.

He held the same position with the Festival orchestra of Bayreuth, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice and the Deutschen-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. In 1993 Stefan Dohr was chosen to play principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic.

As soloist Stefan Dohr has worked with many celebrated conductors, among them Daniel Barenboim, Bernhard Haitink and Christian Thielemann as well as Claudio Abbado, who also invited him to appear as principal horn with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

Besides the solo-repertoire of the classic and romantic period, Stefan Dohr’s interest is focused on contemporary works e.g. by György Ligeti, Oliver Knussen and Volker David Kirchner. In March 2008 he will play the world premiere of a horn concerto especially composed for him by Austrian composer Herbert Willi.

His engagements as a sought after chamber musician include various ensembles with his philharmonic colleagues as well performances with partners such as Maurizio Pollini, Lars Vogt, Kolja Blacher, Ian Bostridge. He is also a constant member of the Ensemble Wien-Berlin. This Group will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2008 with a series of concerts, among them one at the Lucerne Festival where the ensemble will be performing the world premiere of a new piece by Australian composer Brett Dean.

In July 2007 the CD „Opera“ which Stefan Dohr had recorded with his colleagues of the Berlin Philharmonic Horn Section has been released.