Jens Klimek
Jens Klimek was born 19 April 1984 in Magdeburg, Germany. After his days of primary school in Oebisfelde he changed to the National School of Music in Wernigerode in 1996. Up to his graduation in 2003 (Abitur) he was trained along with regular school subjects in music history, music theory, ear training, choral conducting and score reading at the special school. In addition he attained the choirmaster proficiency C1 and C2. As a member of the Radio Youth Choir Wernigerode he participated in CD productions and sang at concerts at home and abroad.
In October 2004 Jens Klimek began his teaching degree in the subjects Music and English at the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg. Only a year later he took over the management of Cantamus Choir Magdeburg, which during his ten year contribution he lead to be one of the most famous vocal ensembles of the state capital. In addition he worked as a volunteer with prisoners from the Magdeburg Correctional Facility on a choir project from 2006 to 2010. In August 2010 he began teaching at the Hegel-Gymnasium in Magdeburg. He now teaches music specialties in the music department at the state gymnasium of Wernigerode.
Jens Klimek has been a member of the German Musicians Association and the German Association of Composers since 2009. During his studies he was given lessons in composition by Bernhard Schneyer (Magdeburg) and Prof. Thomas Buchholz (Halle / Saale). Numerous world premieres and competition successes since then have attested to the continuous compositional work. Thus, Jens Klimek won second place in the 2006 Composition Competition during the Seventh German Choir Competition for the choral work “The Garden of Love” (premiere of Oldenburger Chamber Choir, Kiel 2006).
In June 2008 as part of the First International Male Chamber Choir Competition Lipanski zvuci in Petrinia, Croatia he received the first prize for the affiliated Composition Competition with the piece “Three Madrigals” based on texts by Dante, E. A. Poe and W. Blake. In 2012 choral works by Jens Klimek were included in the literature recommendations of the German Choir Competition for the first time. Two years later his choral work “Tå-ka-la-la-ka-tå” was awarded first prize in category B (Youth Choir) at the Composition Competition Styria Cantat. The first performance took place in February 2015 by the Graz Opera Singing School of Graz.
Internationally renowned artists such as the Contemporary Music Ensemble, the British National Youth Choir, The Concordia Choir or the Hilliard Ensemble perform Jens Klimek’s works. Moreover, his compositions are performed at various choral competitions.
His portfolio also includes commissioned work such as for the Hallenser Madrigalisten in 2013 and for the Cornell University Glee Club (USA) in 2015.
Jens Klimek is married and has a daughter.
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