Christian Benning Percussion Group

Praised by the press as a ‘rhythmic genius’ (Die ZEIT), the performances of the up-and-coming multi-percussionist Christian Benning (*1995) attract a great deal of attention worldwide. Exuberant enthusiasm and virtuoso playing technique have catapulted Christian Benning's international career to the top of the generation of young percussionists within short time.

His performances as a soloist and with the Christian Benning Percussion Group) have taken place in renowned concert halls around the world, including the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Glocke Bremen, Prinzregententheater - Philharmonie - Herkulessaal Munich, Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Graf Zeppelin Haus Friedrichshafen, Konzert Theater Coesfeld, Musikverein Graz, Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Milan Cathedral, San Marco Venice, Sagrada Família Barcelona, Borusan Music House Istanbul, George Enescu Hall Bucharest, in Jerusalem, Cairo, Osaka, Griswold Hall Baltimore and at the United Nations in New York. This was followed by concerts at numerous festivals such as Atonal at Kraftwerk Berlin, Höri Musiktage, Junge Künstler Bayreuth, Les Musicales d'Orient and The Abbey in San Diego.

In addition to international competition successes and concert tours through Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, the versatile percussionist regularly performs with renowned ensembles and instrumentalists. Long-term chamber music projects connect him with Simone Rubino, Cameron Carpenter, Arcis Saxophone Quartet and piano duo Neeb. Concerts with these ensembles have already taken him to the Rheingau Music Festival, Heidelberger Frühling, La Folle Journée Nantes and Teatro Romano di Verona.

Benning was chosen as a junior student at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich at the age of 13. In addition to his studies with Peter Sadlo, Arnold Riedhammer, Adel Shalaby and Alexej Gerassimez he completed a semester abroad at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in Robert van Sice's percussion class and attended workshops at the Yale School of Music.

In his quest for innovation, Christian Benning is currently developing CreativeBeats, a revolutionary hybrid percussion instrument. A notation system developed by Benning forms the basis of his doctoral studies, which he has been completing at London's Brunel University since October 2022.

Christian Benning is supported by Meinl Cymbals, Meinl Percussion, Meinl Stick&Brush, SchlagZu, AlternativeMode and vanLaack and has been a Yamaha Artist since 2023.

Patrick Stapleton (*1993) is a graduate from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich where he initially studied with Adel Shalaby, Peter Sadlo and Alexej Gerassimez. Apart from performing as soloist, he particularly contributes to countless chamber music projects, during which he has worked together with world-famous artists such as Steve Reich and has already appeared on two recordings released by the renowned label Genuin Classics.
He is a founding member of the Christian Benning Percussion Group, plays at The Lion King in Hamburg and frequently is a part of successful crossover projects like MEUTE or the VKKO. Amongst others, he has played at such famous concert halls as the Philharmonic Hall of Munich, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Royal Opera House of Muscat, the Cairo Opera House and the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Stapleton is a multiple laureate at international musical competitions. Most recently he was awarded the Music Sponsorship Prize 2020 of the Konzertverein Ingolstadt as well as the 1st prize of the Kulturkreis Gasteig Music Competition 2020 in Munich.

Godwin Schmid was born in Landsberg am Lech in 1996. He got his first drum lessons from his father when he was three years old. In 2014 he was awarded with Landsberg‘s Cultural Scholarship. In 2013/14 he attended the Vocational School of Music in Krumbach where he was taught by Stefan Blum. In October 2014 he began his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich with Franz Bach. From 2016 to 2018 he was an intern in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Würzburg. He was also able to gain valuable experiences in orchestras such as the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Bochum Symphony Orchestra, Hof Symphony Orchestra as well as at Augsburg State Theater and the Munich State Opera. In 2019 he completed his Bachelor‘s degree with Claudio Estay and Master's  degree with Raymond Curfs. Since 2020 he is member of the Christian Benning Percussion Group.

Felix Kolb was born in Nuremberg in 1994 and received his training from renowned teachers such as Raymond Curfs, Adel Shalaby, Peter Sadlo and Stephan Maass at the Munich University of Music, the Bruckner University Linz and as a scholarship holder in the Academy of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
He regularly plays with top orchestras such as the Bavarian State Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has also made numerous CD recordings. Felix Kolb has worked with conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Herbert Blomstedt, Sir Simon Rattle, Susanna Mälkki, Vladimir Jurowski, Daniel Harding, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Kirill Petrenko, as well as composers such as Wolfgang Rihm, Steve Reich, Lisa Streich, Peter Ruzicka, Minas Borboudakis and Matthias Pintscher. Kolja Blacher, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Jens Peter Maintz as well as Ferhan and Ferzan Önder.
Felix Kolb is also active in jazz and pop and has made guest appearances with bands such as Meute and the Jazzrausch Bigband.

Marcel Kentaro Morikawa (*1992 in Cologne) took his first percussion lessons in 2006 with Robert Schäfer (Gürzenich Orchestra), as well as piano lessons with Susanna Cizmarovic. He began his Bachelor‘s degree in 2009 with Prof. Carlos Tarcha at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne, while he spent one year as an Erasmus student at the University of Music in Bucharest in the percussion class of Prof. Alexandru Matei. In 2014 he started a pedagogical degree and an artistic Master’s degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich with Prof. Dr. Peter Sadlo, after whose sudden death he continued his studies with Claudio Estay (Bavarian State Opera). In 2017/18 he was an intern at the Hof Symphony Orchestra, where he is still substituting on a regular basis ever since, as well as at the Munich Chamber Opera, in the Gärtnerplatz Theater and in the Bavarian State Orchestra. In 2018 he won the 2nd prize at the international percussion competition ItalyPAS (vibraphone category).

Daan Wilms (*1994)
After completing a Bachelor's degree at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, Daan continued his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich. There he obtained a master's degree in classical and contemporary percussion. In 2023, he was one of the first students in Germany to complete the newly introduced postgraduate programme ‘Excellence in Performance’.In his musical career, Daan has won various prizes at international music competitions, including first prize at the Nuremberg Percussion Competition 2022 and the Gasteig Kulturkreis Music Competition 2023.
His enthusiasm for contemporary music has led him to collaborate with composers such as Steve Reich, Helmut Lachenmann and Krzysztof Penderecki. As a member of the orchestra, he regularly plays with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic and the Bavarian State Opera.

Season 2024/25

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