Ulrich Hermann
was the principal bassoonist of the Stuttgart State Orchestra until 2022. While in school he sang in many choruses and received piano lessons from the age of seven, switching to the bassoon at the age of 18. In 1990 he enrolled at the University of Music in his native Stuttgart, where he graduated with honours in 1994. He went on to win prizes at a number of competitions, made solo appearances and played in several renowned chamber ensembles. He has performed throughout Europe, the United States and Asia and has made several CD and broadcast recordings. He is also a regular guest of inter-nationally acclaimed opera, symphony and chamber orchestras. A teacher of worldwide renown, he founded a bassoon class whose members regularly win prizes at national and international competitions. He gives master classes for bassoon and wind chamber music and serves as a jury member at competitions in Europe and Japan. After teaching bassoon at Würzburg University of Music (2001–09) he was awarded a professorship in wind chamber music at Stuttgart University of Music and the Performing Arts (2009) and was later appointed professor of bassoon at Mainz University of Music (2017) and the Cologne University of Music and Dance (2022). Many of his students are now members of leading orchestras and hold professorships at universities.

Kensuke Ohira
an internationally acclaimed artist of the younger generation of Japanese musicians, served as organist at the Stuttgart Collegiate Church until December 2020. He received his training at Tokyo University of Arts, where his formative teachers were Hiroko Asai, Rie Hiroe and Masaaki Suzuki. Scholarships from the Japanese Ministry of Culture and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) enabled him to study organ with Christoph Bossert at Würzburg University of Music, where he earned his performance degree. This was followed by further studies in church music (A-level certification) and contemporary music (with Bernhard Hass and others) at Munich University of Music and Theatre. In 2016 Kensuke Ohira won the organ competition associated with the Johann Pachelbel Prize at the Nuremberg International Organ Week. This enabled him to record his first solo CD in conjunction with Bavarian Radio, playing on the reconstructed Wiegleb baroque organ at St Gumbertus in Ansbach. These awards formed the starting point for his international career as a concert organist. Kensuke Ohira gave the first Japanese performance of Thierry Escaich’s Organ Concerto No. 1, playing with the Tokyo Geidai Philharmonia, and concertised with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Kensuke Ohira is a regular guest at leading festivals, organ concert series and major cathedrals, including the Dresden International Organ Week (at the Frauenkirche), the Freiburg Minster Organ Summer, St Paul’s Cathedral (London) and La Madeleine (Paris). Ohira is the principal organist at the Hijirigaoka Church in Tokyo and titular organist at the Meiji Gakuin University in Yokohama. He is also an enthusiastic chamber music partner with solo instrumentalists and singers. Kensuke Ohira is the organist of the ensemble Stiftsbarock Stuttgart (Kay Johannsen) and has succeeded Laurent Teycheney been as artistic director of the Japanese ensemble Muromachi since 2022. Kensuke Ohira’s versatile artistic skills are documented on YouTube® channels and sound recordings.