The Kölner Akademie
is a unique ensemble based in Cologne. It is distinguished by its performances of music from the 17th–21st centuries, featuring renowned guest soloists. Music is played on modern as well as historical instruments.

The Kölner Akademie has received the highest accolades for its performances at world-renowned festivals in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Iceland and South America. Many of these performances were broadcast live or recorded for television.

The orchestra’s first CD release, a recording of Johann Valentin Meder’s St. Matthew Passion for Raumklang was awarded five stars by Fono Forum and Musik und Kirche magazines, and received excellent reviews in Concerto, EARLY MUSIC (United Kingdom) and Record Geijutsu (Japan).

The ensemble’s “Forgotten Treasures” CD series, which has received high praise from the press, so far includes ten recordings in what is planned to be a series of fifteen world premiere recordings of works by lesser-known composers, including Crusell, Danzi, Pichl, Vanhal, Wilms, Romberg, Neukomm, Fischer, Kunc, Jeanjean, D’Alvimare, and Steibelt.

The CD of Bernhard Romberg’s symphonies received the Supersonic Prize. Furthermore, Die Kölner Akademie has released first recordings of works by Mattheson, Ries, Kalliwoda, Neukomm and Eberl on CPO, as well as a first recording of the version of J.S. Bach’s St. Mark Passion reconstructed by Glöckner and Hellmann.

Michael Alexander Willens
music director of Die Kölner Akademie, studied conducting with John Nelson at the Juilliard School in New York, where he received B.M. and M.M. degrees. He has also studied with Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood, as well as choral conducting with Paul Vorwerk. Willens’ broad experience has given him an unusual depth of background and familiarity with performance practice styles ranging from baroque, classical and romantic through to contemporary as well as jazz and pop music.

Mr. Willens has conducted concerts at major concert halls and festivals in Europe, South America, Asia, Iceland, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Israel and the United States, receiving the highest critical praise:

“The success of the whole owed in large measure to the uncommonly precise, yet never affected gestures of Michael Alexander Willens”.

In addition to the standard repertoire, Michael Alexander Willens is dedicated to performing works by lesser-known contemporary American composers and has conducted several world premières, many of which have been broadcast live or filmed for television. He is also keenly interested in re-discovering music from the past and has released over 40 CDs featuring this repertoire. Several of these recordings have been nominated and received awards. They have all received outstanding international reviews, : “Willens achieves an impeccably stylish and enjoyable performance.” (Gramophone ) ,,…conductor Michael Alexander Willens exploits every bar of the score to fullest expressive effect. (Fanfare)

He has guest conducted orchestras in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Brazil and Israel in addition to his commitment to Die Kölner Akademie.