Sven Helbig (born in 1968) is a German composer, director and music producer known for his genre-crossing works that blend classical music with electronic and contemporary elements. His compositions have been performed by renowned ensembles and orchestras around the world, including the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the BBC Singers, the Fauré Quartet, the London Contemporary Orchestra, and many others.
Helbig's versatility has made him a much sought-after collaborator for crossover projects; he has worked as a producer, composer and arranger with Rammstein, Pet Shop Boys, Snoop Dogg, cellist Jan Vogler, opera singer René Pape, pianist Olga Scheps and more.[1] Helbig's work builds on the tradition of the Gesamtkunstwerk (all-embracing art form) and he often takes responsibility for concept, music and production at the same time.
Biography
800th anniversary of Dresden, July 2006
Helbig was born in 1968 and grew up in Eisenhüttenstadt, East Germany.[2] His first experience with music began with the clarinet, later he added guitar, piano and drums. In 1996, Helbig and hornist Markus Rindt founded the Dresden Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra is specialized in new, symphonic music in unusual productions and was the first European symphony orchestra to exclusively perform contemporary music.[3]
The self-taught composer's acclaimed debut album Pocket Symphonies has been released on the Deutsche Grammophon label. Since 2016, Helbig is playing live with his Forrklang Quartet. The ensemble is individually formed to fit the need of his current concert program. In 2017 he toured Europe, North- and Southamerica with his choir work I Eat the Sun and Drink the Rain. The production for choir, electronics and visuals has been staged at Milton Court Hall/London, Elbphilharmonie/Hamburg and Reina Sofia Hall/Madrid beside others. In recent years, the artist has delved into work as a director. He directed music videos, stage shows and theatrical multimedia events.[4] For example, he produced the High-rise Symphony on Dresden's 800th anniversary during which the orchestra's musicians sat on individual balconies of an old East German apartment building.
Since 2017, Sven hosts his weekly radio show Schöne Töne on Berlin's Radio 1, celebrating music history and contemporary artists. In 2022 he was honored with the Art Award by the city of Dresden.[5]
2004: Premiere of The Battleship Potemkin at London's Trafalgar Square
2006: Production of the high-rise symphony at Dresden's 800th anniversary (director, light design, music)
2006: The Mover Ballet, 250 solar panels danced to his music during the opening ceremony of the world's largest solar park in Arnheim
2007: MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) Snoop Dogg and orchestra (arranger)
2011: Premier performance of the ballet The Most Incredible Thing in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre, music by Pet Shop Boys with orchestrations by Sven Helbig
2014: A Man from the Future, work for orchestra, choir, speaker and electronics about the life of Alan Turing by Pet Shop Boys, premiered by BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall, (orchestrations)
Awards
2004: ECHO Classical Music Award in the world premier recording category for “Mein Herz brennt” to Torsten Rasch
2010: ECHO Classical Music Award in the classical music without borders category for “Popsongs” to the Fauré Quartett
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