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Habib Benedikt Elias - Singer, Pianist, Composer, Clarinetist, Music Teacher
Habib Benedikt Elias was born in Borken/Westfalia, Germany. The son of a medical doctor and a hospital nurse moved at the age of 4 with his family to the south of Germany, region of Stuttgart, where he lived most of the time until he finished his clarinet studies.
The singer and pianist`s musical experiences, influences and his music studies are versatile. Habib grew up in a family where music was always present. His mother often sang with him and his two brothers, with whom later he played in various bands. At the age of 8 he has his first piano lesson and he was 12 when he found in his parent’s vinyl collection a Louis Armstrong record. This find was a very important experience to him, he didn’t stop listening to the music of Satchmo and at that time he discovered his fascination for Jazz music.
Today the interpretations and compositions of H.B.Elias travel through the styles of jazz, chanson and pop, using as a dialogue not only the different styles of music, as well as the inherent characteristics of the languages in which he sings. In addition, his vocal improvisations give a special nuance to the songs and are characteristical for his work. Thereby he addresses the jazz audience just as well as enthusiasts for more popular music styles.
At the age of 14 he had his first clarinet lesson and he was 16 years old when he had his first contact with the saxophone. At that time he began to play indefatigably the transcriptions of improvisations of Charlie Parker and Benny Goodman, which to this day influences his vocal improvisations. At the same period he also got with enthusiasm into pop music like for example the music of the Beatles and Billy Joel, transcribing and playing by ear on the piano harmonies and melodies of many songs.
Already during his schooldays he was very into languages, which he continued whilst his study period. Today Habib combines the various possibilities creating sounds and colours with the English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese language in his versatile repertoire.
In 1991 Habib began to study clarinet with Prof. Waldemar Wandel (Consortium Classicum) at the University of Music in Trossingen/Germany where he graduates in 1996. In the same year he began to take singing lessons with Prof. Ulrike Sonntag (solo singer at the opera houses in Vienna, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Professor at the University of Music in Stuttgart) and studied from 1997 to 2000 Opera and Concert singing at the University of Music Saarland in Saarbrücken/Germany.
The many years of music studies, which gave him the instrumental and vocal technic, made possible the continuous development of his own ideas of sounds and vocal improvisations, favouring during various performances as a singer and as an instrumentalist his close relationship to the stage and to the audience.
In 2001 H.B.Elias moves to Berlin to work together with his brother, film music composer Karim Sebastian Elias, on a project quite distinctive of what he had done up to that point: Participating in various film music projects. In this colaboration he composes, arranges, produces and performs film music and songs for movies and television series. At the same time he concentrates more and more on his work as a singer and pianist, compiling a versatile song repertoire which he performs in clubs, in hotels and at events - like at the award evening of the Television-Festival in Baden-Baden - combining it with his experiences as a composer, arranger and producer. He performs as well solo as in the trio / quartet with Andrea Marcelli - Drums, Jonathan Robinson - Bass, Dirk Engelhardt - Saxophone.
In February 2007 H.B.Elias moves to Barcelona, Spain, where he continues his work as a singer, pianist and composer in the music styles of Jazz, Chanson and Pop. He writes his first Spanish-language song - „Ahora“ – and gets to know the live music clubs and bars, singing and playing in "Tarantos", ”La Serilla” and ”Chaise Lounge”, trying to catch the impressions of Barcelona’s varied music scene.
At the same time he produces new recordings (AUDIO), accomplishing to express his style by performing not only classics with new arrangements and vocal improvisations but also by recording own compositions.
Since August 2009 H.B.Elias lives in London, UK.
EXPERIENCES AS SINGER, PIANIST AND SONGWRITER
2011/2012
Regular performances in the restaurant "Mr Wing", London, Chelsea
2001 – Today
Singer and pianist, solo, in a jazz trio and quartet, i.a. with Andrea Marcelli (drums), Jonathan Robinson (bass) and Dirk Engelhardt (saxophone)
November 2009
Singer and pianist on a P&O Cruise Ferry
August 2009
Move from Barcelona, Spain to London, UK
2007 – 2009
Performances in Barcelona, Spain, i.a. in "Tarantos", “La Serilla”, “Chaise Lounge”, as well as at events and receptions as a singer and pianist, solo and in duo and trio formations.
2001 – 2007
Performances as a singer and pianist at events and receptions i.a. with the presence of ambassadors and members of the german parliament):
Jolly-Hotel Berlin, (today NH-Hotel)
Hotel Ramada, Plaza Berlin
Palace Hotel, Berlin (since October 2005 member of the association “Leading Hotels Of The World”)
Schlosshotel Cecilienhof in Potsdam (Berlin)
Performances at the New Year Celebrations at the Jolly-Hotel Berlin in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 for up to 300 international guests.
2005
Performance solo at the award evening of the Television-Festival in Baden Baden,
Germany
2003
Composition and performance of two Brazilian songs for the Hape Kerkeling Cinema
film “Samba in Mettmann“, Director: Angelo Colagrossi
2002
Composition and performance of the song "You've settled in my mind" for the
television series "Wilde Engel" for the TV channel RTL.
Composition and recording of two Italian songs for the feature film „Liebe ist
die beste Medizin“, Director: Hannu Salonen, TV channel ARD
1999
Performance in the choir of the opera project “Carmen” at the Summer Music
Theatre in Merzig, Germany
Performance in the choir of the state opera of Saarland in Saarbrücken, Gemany:
“Nabucco” (Verdi), Director: Johann Kresnik
“Missa Solemnis” (Beethoven), New Years Concert 1999/2000
1998
Radio Recordings (Saarland Radio) at the program “Performances of students of
the University of Saarland”
1999/2000
Participation at a course of corporal expression and opera acting with Professor
Claudio de Maglio, (Director of the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Udine, Italy)
EXPERIENCES AS A COMPOSER, ARRANGER AND PRODUCER FOR FILM MUISC FOR MOVIES AND TELEVISION SERIES
2012
Participation in the film-music composition and production of "TATORT - IHR KINDERLEIN KOMMET", WDR,
Production: Colonia Media,
Regie: Thomas Jauch
2011
Participation in the film-music composition and production of "TATORT
- KINDERLAND",
MDR,
Production: Saxonia
Regie: Thomas Jauch
Participation in the film-music composition and production of "WILDE
WELLEN", ZDF,
Production: Bavaria
Regie: Ulli Baumann,
4-Teiler
Participation in the film-music composition and production of "DER
KRIMINALIST", ZDF,
Production: Monaco Film
Regie: Hannu Salonen,
Folge 39-41
Participation in the film-music composition and production of "DIE
SAMENHÄNDLERIN",
ZDF,
Production: Bavaria
Regie: Michael Keusch
2010
Participation in the film-music composition and production of
"OTTO'S ELEVEN"
Cinema: (Verleih: Warner Bros.)
Production: TransWaalFilm
Regie: Sven Unterwaldt
2008
Participation in the film-music composition and production of
"GERDAS
SCHWEIGEN",
Cinema: (Verleih: Piffl Medien)
Production: Zeitsprung ,
Regie: Britta Wauer
Documentary, CD Veröffentlichung bei Alhambra Records
Award: "Beste Filmmusik", Kinofest Lünen (2008)
2003
Participation in the composition and performance of the score music for the documentary film „Rhythm is it“ about an education project with Sir Simon Rattle and The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Participation in the film-music composition and production for a Berlin detective series "Tatort" with Dominik Raake and Jürgen Vogel, Director: Hannu Salonen, (TV channel ARD)
Composition and recording of two Brazilian songs for the Hape Kerkeling Cinema film „Samba in Mettmann“, Director: Angelo Colagrossi
Composition, production and interpretation of the film music for the musical film "Elements of mine“ (TV channels Arte and NDR) with Ensemble members of the Schaubühne and of the Komische Oper Berlin.
First Prize, Moving Pictures
Festival of Dance on Film and Video (MopixAward 2004), Toronto
VideoDance, 2004 International Thessaloniki Film Festival, Athen & Thessaloniki
DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL 2005, New York
DFA's 32nd Annual Festival 2005, New York
2002
Composition and performance of the song "You've settled in my mind" for the television series "Wilde Engel" for the TV channel RTL.
2002
Composition and recording of two Italian songs for the feature film „Liebe ist die beste Medizin“, Director: Hannu Salonen, TV channel ARD
2001 – 2003
Composition and production of the score music for the television serie “Hinter Gittern” (episodes 177 – 332), produced by Grundy Ufa for the TV channel RTL.
Since 2010
Piano, clarinet and singing teacher at The Music House for Children, London, UK,
i.a. preparing pupils for Grade exams, ABRSM
Preparing pupils for GCSE music exams, „AQA“
Since 2009
Private singing, piano, clarinet and music theory teacher, London, UK
2008 - 2009
Piano teacher at the “Hamelin” school in Alella, Barcelona
Teaching languages: english and spanish
Clarinet teacher at the “Skerzo” music school in Barcelona, Spain
1992 – 2009
Private clarinet, piano and singing teacher in various cities in Germany and in Barcelona, Spain
1997 - 2000
Clarinet teacher at the “Waldorfschule” Bexbach, Germany
1997 - 2000
Clarinet teacher at the “Music Association” Ensdorf, Germany
1995 - 1998
Clarinet and saxophone teacher at the municipal municipal music school in Rottenburg am Neckar, Germany
1995 - 1997
Clarinet and saxophone teacher at the municipal music school in Trossingen, Germany
1992 - 1995
Clarinet and saxophone teacher at the municipal music school in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
EDUCATION
1997 - 2000
Studies of opera and solo singing with Prof. Raimund Gilvan-Cartwright at the University of Music Saarland (Hochschule für Musik Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany
1996 -1998
Classical singing lessons with Prof. Ulrike Sonntag, Stuttgart, Germany
1991 – 1996
Studies of clarinet with Prof. Waldemar Wandel (Consortium Classicum) at the University of Music in Trossingen (Hochschule für Musik Trossingen), Germany, studies of methodology with Rudolf Mauz, Degree in 1996
FURTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATION
Performances:
Member of the choir of the opera project “Carmen” at the Summer Music Theatre in Merzig, Germany
During the studies at the Universities of Music: Opera and concert arias, operetta productions, recitals as a singer,
pianist and clarinet player
Member of the choir of the state opera of Saarland in Saarbrücken, Gemany:
“Nabucco” (Verdi), Director: Johann Kresnik,
“Missa Solemnis” (Beethoven), New Years Concert 1999/2000
Radio Recordings (Saarland Radio) at the program “Performances of students of the University of Saarland”
Education:
Participation at a course of corporal expression and opera acting with Professor Claudio de Maglio, (Director of the
Academy of Dramatic Arts in Udine, Italy)
University-entrance diploma with principal subjects Music and French, 1989
First piano lessons at the age of 8, first clarinet lessons with Karl Singer at the age of 14, jazz saxophone lessons with Klaus Kretzmarsky, 1986 – 1989, Master classes of clarinet with Prof Waldemar Wandel, Greece, 1994/1995, with Prof. Eduard Brunner, Switzerland, 1996
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