.jpg)
Jean Goldenbaum
Dr. Jean Goldenbaum is a composer, doctor in Musicology, educator and social and political activist. He works as a professor and researcher at the 'European Center for Jewish Music' at the 'University of Music, Theater and Media Hanover’ and is artistic director of the 'European Center for Jewish Music Ensemble'. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1982 and began his musical studies at the age of ten, taking piano and guitar lessons. At 21, he decided to dedicate himself entirely to Musical Composition. Moving to Germany, he studied at the ‘University of Augsburg’, receiving in 2013 his PhD in Musicology and Music Pedagogy.
His music has already been performed in several countries: Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, United States, Finland, France, England, Italy, Israel, Paraguay and Sweden. In 2010, he had his first symphony premiered and recorded in São Paulo, the Symphony of the Good. Goldenbaum was the composer-in-residence of the 'Wasa Sinfonieta Music Festival', in Finland, in 2011 and 2013, having premiered his double concertos Ode to Friendship (for flute, guitar and orchestra) and The Universe shall conspire to Love (for flute, percussion and orchestra).
In 2011, some of his chamber works were presented at the ‘Neue Musik International’ event in Salzburg (Austria). In 2012, sponsored by the 'Ministry of Culture of Brazil', his music was the center of the event 'New Sounds from Brazil - in Portrait: Jean Goldenbaum', once again in Salzburg, where the European premiere of his concerto May all dictators fall (for guitar and guitar quartet) took place, previously premiered in Brazil. In 2012, an important partnership took place, when Goldenbaum worked together with Brazilian famous poet Ferreira Gullar (1930-2016), which resulted in the work Ferreira Gullar & Jean Goldenbaum: three moments in Poetry and Music. In 2014 his pedagogical work Music for children - pieces to break paradigms for young pianists to grow different and build a better world was published by LRPublications. In 2016, the event ‘Neue Töne für das Gute – New sounds for the Good’ was held in Berlin, which exclusively featured works by Goldenbaum, performed by eight musicians from different countries. In August of the same year he was the guest composer of the ‘29 event. Schwäbischer Kunstsommer’, in the city of Irsee, southern Germany, an event in which his Ecumenical Suite: in the name of Peace, Freedom and Tolerance (for cappella choir), published by the German publisher Ikuro Edition, was premiered. Goldenbaum produced five albums with some of his orchestral and chamber works, recorded both in Europe and in Brazil.
In 2018, the legendary Brazilian pianist Eudóxia de Barros included the work of Goldenbaum Brazilian Nostalgia (Longing for a time I didn't live) in her annual tour, performing it dozens of times.
On 31.03.2020, on the day of the tenth anniversary of the debut of his Symphony of Good, and the official start of his career, Jean announced through an article 'The boat at the taste of the tides (or Why do I decide today to conclude my musical career)’, published in the Brazilian newspaper Diário do Engenho, he was concluding (at least for that time) his activities as a composer. In June 2021, he decided to return to activities, driven by several new initiatives and invitations, after exactly 645 days of leave.
In 2022 he was the music director of the festival 'Aktuelle Jüdische Musik in Deutschland', who took place in Hannover.
In Mai 2022 he was invited to present his music and his thoughts on Hannah Arendt at the event 'Jüdische Musik & Erinnerungskultur: Hannah-Arendt', at the Rathaus Hannover.
Currently, his catalog of works comprises 107 compositions (of which 86 were premiered) for orchestra, solo instrument and the most diversified chamber music line-ups.
He conducts lectures and masterclasses around the world on his musicological research as well as his work as a composer.
A large part of the concerts organized by Goldenbaum are related to the social and political activism carried out by the composer.
Goldenbaum lives in his country house near Hannover with his German shepherd Jake.