Nicolai Pfeffer (born 20 September 1985) is a German clarinetist, music editor and ordinary clarinet professor at the "Talent Music Master Courses University of Music" in Brescia, Italy.[1][2]
As a passionate chamber musician, Pfeffer regularly performs chamber concerts with prominent colleagues.[1][5]
Repertoire
Pfeffer devotes himself to a broad repertoire, primarily from the classical and romantic periods. Where possible, his performances are based on historical performance practice, using historical instruments or replicas.
Teaching
Pfeffer is a lecturer for clarinet, partly also for didactics and methodology, among others at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover and the Hochschule für Künste Bremen.[5][4] Since October 2022, he holds a clarinet professorship at the Talent Music Master Courses University of Music in Brescia, mainly for the Artist Diploma and University Degree Programmes[1] He also gives national and international master classes and lectures on musicology. Furthermore, he is a juror for national and international clarinet competitions. Pfeffer's publications can be found in international journals such as "The Clarinet" and "Rohrblatt".[1]
Music editing
Another area of Pfeffer's activity is the creation of new editions of chamber music and concertante clarinet works. The previous editions are regarded as reference editions in international comparison. These editions, as well as his own arrangements, have been published by G. Henle Verlag,[7]Breitkopf & Härtel and Edition Peters.[4] He and many other prominent colleagues have used these versions in their CD and radio productions. Pfeffer also makes special arrangements for prominent colleagues such as Ralph Manno, Jonathan Cohler, Andrew Marriner, Gabor Varga, Pavel Vinnitsky, Sérgio Fernandes Pires, Anette Maiburg [de], Sebastian Manz, Guido Schiefen [de], Sabine Meyer, Andreas Ottensamer, and the Signum Saxophone Quartet.[1][5][8]
In the 2019/2020 season, Pfeffer-crafted orchestrations of Italian opera fantasias were premiered by the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, and the Israeli Raanana Symphonette. Further performances by other orchestras followed.[5]
Pfeffer assists Henle Verlag in publishing their clarinet repertoire, and also assists F. Arthur Uebel in the development and improvement of German-designed clarinets.
Johannes Brahms, Sonatas op. 120 – Piano Pieces op. 119, CAvI Music 2018 (with Felix Wahl, piano).[10]
Affinità elettive / Elective affinities Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, Rondo K. 373 (arr. Nicolai Pfeffer), Sperai vicino il lido K. 368 (arr. Andreas Tarkmann [de]), Symphony No. 29 in A major KV 201; Nicolai Pfeffer, clarinet; Orchestra della Toscana; conductor Markus Stenz, NovAntiqua Records NA55 2021.[11]