Bernhard Schrammek was born exactly 287 years to the day after Johann Sebastian Bach. Growing up in Leipzig, surrounded by a wealth of historical musical instruments, his passion for early music was almost inevitable. In the 1990s, he studied musicology and history at Humboldt University in Berlin and spent two years conducting research in Rome. His doctoral dissertation on the Roman chapel master Virgilio Mazzocchi and the sacred music practices of the Cappella Giulia at St Peter’s Basilica was published in 2001 and earned him the Premio Internazionale Latina di Studi Musicali.
For more than 25 years, Schrammek has worked in Berlin as a freelance writer, editor and radio presenter. In 2011, he published his book Die Musikwelt der Klassik (The World of Classical Music). Every Monday, a new episode of the series Meine Musik (My Music) is broadcast on radio3 (RBB), while every Sunday he co-hosts a new podcast with Michael Maul on the Bach channel of MDR Klassik. He also maintains a close working relationship with Deutschlandfunk Kultur, regularly presenting programmes such as Interpretationen, Chormusik and Konzert.
In addition, he writes programme notes, gives lectures and develops concert programmes. Since 2023, Bernhard Schrammek has served alongside Heidi Gröger as Artistic Director of the festival SPAM – Spandau macht Alte Musik. At the heart of all his professional endeavours lies an enduring commitment to bringing music and music history to life, sharing his knowledge with enthusiasm and inspiring audiences to discover their richness.
