Damian Scholl

Vita

Vita of Damian Scholl

Damian Scholl is a composer of Contemporary Music and Film Music.
Born and raised in rural Franconia, he began studying violin at the age of seven. From the very beginning of his musical education he had a keen interest in composing and performing his own music.
Scholl continued to pursue his interest in composition by enrolling in the University of the Arts (UDK) Berlin, where he studied from 2008-2013 with Walter Zimmermann. During his years at the UdK, Scholl also studied with David Fennessy at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. After his graduation he went on to study filmmusic at the Filmuniversity „Konrad Wolf“ Babelsberg where he finished his academic education in 2017.
In 2014, Scholl was awarded a scholarship to work and live in the Villa Wasmuth near Bonn. The following year, he won the prize of Deutscher Musikwettbewerb with his piece “Ghostbird” as well as the WDR Filmscore Award. Scholl is an Alumnus of the notable scholarship Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes. In 2017, he was invited to AYE Composer’s Week in Bangkok mentored by Prof. Dieter Mack and Peter Veale.

With his music for Andres Veiel’s documentary „Beuys“ he attracted attention together with his colleague Ulrich Reuter. The film was part of the official selection for the Competition at the Berlinale 2017 and the music nominated at the German Film Prize 2017 for Best Score. Scholl has received numerous commissions – amongst them Deutschlandfunk, Deutscher Musikrat and Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele. His „Orfeo Reflections“, a full length work with Lena Belkina as soloist commissioned by Kissinger Sommer, has received standing ovations and critical acclaim. The documentary „Beyond the Visible – Hilma af Klint“ has been screened in cinemas all over the world and was designated a Critic’s Pick by the New York Times.
In 2021, Scholl was part of the Berlinale Talents.

Damian Scholl’s oeuvre to this date includes works for solo instruments and small chamber ensembles, as well as bigger works including a chamber opera and works for symphonic orchestra. His works for film and concert hall treads off the beaten path. They distinguish themselves in their subtlety and sensibility.
Damian Scholl is based in Berlin.

Curriculum Vitae

2021

– Part of Berlinale Talents

2020

– Documentary Beyond the Visible – Hilma af Klint (R: Halina Dyrschka) is screened in cinemas all over the world. NY Times Critic’s Pick
– Member of the Documentary Film Jury at Film Festival Max Ophüls Preis
– Premiere of Havarie Petite (R: Simon Ostermann) at Film Festival Max Ophüls Preis – Mon rêve familier released on CD by Janina Ruh –
– Premiere of eyes closed, performed by Trio NeuGehört

2019

– Premiere of Orfeo Reflections (110 min.) at Kissinger Sommer
– Broadcast 24h Europe: The Next Generation on ARTE, rbb, i.a.
– Member of the Jury for Deutscher Dokumentarfilm-Musikpreis

2018

– German Filmprize – nominated for Best Score (for BEUYS)
– Won Best Score in a documentary at the DOK.fest Munich (for BEUYS) 
– Rå (R: Sophia Bösch) premières at the Berlinale 
– Premiere of r1o9n6d8o, performed by ensemble 20/21 at the Deutschlandfunk 
– Premiere of Mon rêve familier – after Paul Verlaine at Schloss Elmau, performed by Janina Ruh 
– Premiere of The Pursuit of Beauty for Piano solo, performed by Julia Kammerlander 
– Premiere of Whereto at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspielen, performed by the Xenon Saxophone Quartet 

2017

– BEUYS (documentary by Andres Veiel) premières in the official competition of the Berlinale [music in cooperation with Ulrich Reuter]. Music nominated for Best Score at the German Filmmusic Prize 2017. 
– premiere of “Once I sat and listened” at the AYE Composers’ Week in Bangkok 

2016

– premiere of “Ins Freie” during Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker 
– premiere of “Von Windfarben und leisen Geburten” as part of Forum neue Musik 2016 hosted by Deutschlandfunk, performed by ensemble 20/21, conducted by David Smeyers 

2015

– 1st Prize at the European Talent Competition held by Soundtrack_Cologne (WDR Filmscore Award) 
– 1st Prize at Deutscher Musikwettbewerb (Preis des Deutschlandfunk) 

2014

– Scholarship “Villa Wasmuth” (granted by Beethoven Haus Bonn e.V. and Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes) 

2013

– studies filmmusic at the Filmuniversität “Konrad Wolf” Potsdam-Babelsberg

2012

– studies composition with David Fennessy at the RCS Glasgow

2011

– recieves scholarship of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation)

2009

– Andreas-Werckmeister-Preis granted by the city of Halberstadt

2008-2013

studies composition at the UdK Berlin with Walter Zimmermann and Daniel Ott