College of Music

Christoph Hammer (returning as visiting professor in fortepiano), hailed as a “poet of the fortepiano” by the Italian press, was born in Germany in 1966. He studied organ at the Academy of Music and Theater in Munich, also attending courses and workshops with renowned specialists for historic keyboard instruments. In addition, he studied German Literature and Musicology at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich and at UCLA. Since 1989, Hammer has focused on playing historical keyboard instruments, especially the fortepiano.

He has achieved an international reputation as a soloist and lieder accompanist as well as in chamber music. Numerous recordings document his success, the newest of which features piano works of Carl Czerny (ORF Edition).  In addition to the established concert repertoire, Hammer dedicates his time to the rediscovery of little-known composers as well as to researching and editing their works.

He performed at numerous international festivals such as Mozart-Festival Wurzburg, Festival de piano Roques d’Antheron, Festwochen fur Alte Musik Innsbruck, Tage alter Musik Herne, La folles journee Nantes, Tonhalle Zurich, Konzerthaus Wien, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Munich State Opera Festival, Beethovenhaus Bonn and others. Christoph Hammer has played as a soloist with orchestras such as Concerto Cologne, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, and Prague Chamber Orchestra, among others.

Mr. Hammer has taught masterclasses at leading institutions such as the Czech State Music Academy (Prague), Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), State Music Academy (Minsk) and others. He was associate professor of harpsichord and fortepiano at UNT from 2009 to 2013.