Jörg Faerber

Biography

Born in Stuttgart, Faerber graduated from a Humanistisches Gymnasium (gymnasium with a focus on Greek and Latin) in Stuttgart in 1949 and from the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart in 1953. Until 1962 he held the post of musical director of the Theater Heilbronn.

Faerber founded the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn in 1960, becoming its artistic director and CEO. He led the orchestra until February 2002 as conductor and artistic manager, touring the United States, Canada, England, France, Austria, Japan, and South Africa. He was especially known for his performances of the Baroque repertory. Soloists Anne-Sophie Mutter, Alfred Brendel, and Gidon Kremer have regularly worked with the WKO. Faerber was invited as a guest conductor by orchestras of the BBC and the English Chamber Orchestra.

Faerber began recording 18th-century and later repertory for the Vox German record label starting in the 1960s. His work reached an international audience with his later recordings for Britain's EMI Records and the American RCA Records.

Honours and awards

In 1986, Faerber was honoured with the title "Professor". He is the recipient of the following awards:

Since 2002 he has been Conductor Laureate of the WKO.

Recording

In 1990 Faerber conducted the WKO in a recording of three of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's flute concertos with soloist James Galway. In 1992 he conducted a recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's complete harpsichord concertos with several keyboard players. In 1994 he combined the concerto for piano and string orchestra, Op. 35, by Shostakovich and Haydn's concerto for harpsichord and orchestra in D major, Hob.XVIII:11, both performed by Martha Argerich.