Josef Loibl, baritone
Miku Nishimoto-Neubert, pianist

Born near Munich, the baritone Josef Loibl grew up amidst the burgeoning cultural life of the Bavarian capital in the late 20th century as it became a European centre of the arts. The celebrated baritone Karl Schmitt-Walter was Loibl’s teacher at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Munich. The Stuttgart composer and pianist Hermann Reutter and the Swiss physiologist and vocal teacher Friederich Hussler also contributed significantly to the singer’s education. As a result, Loibl received a thorough training combining both vocal technique and musicality from the earliest stages. In addition to the great oratorios and operatic roles, “Lieder” quickly became the focus of the singer’s attention, a genre which, in the course of time he mastered in all its stylistic diversity.

The rapid development of his vocal skills enabled Josef Loibl to win prizes at major singing competitions in Barcelona and ‘s-Hertogenbosch, among others. At the same time he began a varied concert career, which included all major bass or baritone roles in the oratorio literature. An impressive series of successful recordings documents Loibl’s extensive repertoire and interpretative prowess.

Immediately striking in his voice is its naturally warm, yet always variable timbre. Loibl’s characteristically precise diction, together with a versatile command of vocal colour enable him effortlessly to express the finest nuances, particularly in his “Lieder” interpretations.

Loibl’s refined vocal skills also testify to a high degree of analytical insight. This has led him to another focus of his professional work, the training of young singers.

Over the years Loibl has built up singing classes at the Universities for Music in Munich and Graz, the most important representatives of which today belong to the top international singers. Loibl has provided valuable impulses to the development of vocal training in Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea through annual singing courses.

Loibl continues to nurture an internationally active group of singers and, through his profound knowledge and extensive practical experience, also teaches the art of singing to young musicians at Summer courses in Goldeck near Salzburg, which have taken place for many years.

The Japanese pianist Miku Nishimoto-Neubert has lived and worked in Europe for many years. After completing her studies in Hannover with Professor Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, she received further important stimuli in Munich through working with Klaus Schilde, Andreas Schmidt and Jan Philip Schulze. Her concerts in Germany and other European countries soon attracted wider recognition. Prizes at international competitions, among others in Porto, Vevey or at the Bach competition in Leipzig testify to the exceptional skill evident in her compelling piano performances.

Nishimoto-Neubert’s sense of style is central to her interpretative approach. This enables the pianist to convey a wide spectrum of music to her listeners. Her sensitive articulation and musical understanding is brought to bear on a wide range of musical genres including piano chamber music. A number of recordings testify to the broad repertoire of the pianist, ranging from Bach to contemporary works. She places special emphasis upon the Romantic and Impressionist piano literature.

Nishimoto-Neubert is in great demand as vocal accompanist, a role she regards as equal to that of the singer, with a clear hand in the overall design of the particular song. She has been able to pass on her deep understanding of “Lieder” as a highly regarded accompanist at international singing competitions and masterclasses. For several years she has been on the faculty for “Lied” accompaniment at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Munich.

In October 2017 she was appointed an honorary professor. Miku Nishimoto-Neubert and Josef Loibl have been working together for fifteen years at Summer courses for singers at Goldegg Castle near Salzburg.