Biography

The flutist Andreas Mazur, born in 1968 in Mönchengladbach, began flute lessons at the age of 11 and was a junior student in the class of Prof. Karl-Heinz Ulrich at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne even before his matriculation. He did his military service as 1st flutist in the Staff Band of the Bundeswehr. 

In 1989 he began his flute studies at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe with the renowned Australian flutist John Wright, who became his most important mentor and to whom he owes an extraordinary amount. It was John Wright who recognised Andreas Mazur’s versatility and consistently encouraged him. After successfully completing his diploma examinations as a music teacher and orchestral musician in 1993/1994, Andreas Mazur completed postgraduate studies in Karlsruhe and in 1996 received a scholarship from the European Community which enabled him to deepen his studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris with Prof. Alain Marion. In 1997 he completed his studies with the Masters of Music degree with distinction. In addition, he received important impulses at master classes with Aurèle Nicolet, Robert Dick and Barthold Kuijken.

Already during his studies, Andreas Mazur, developed an active concert and orchestra career, among other things as a permanent substitute in the Badische Staatskapelle in Karlsuhe and in the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra or as a guest musician in the contemporary special ensemble MusikFabrik with concerts at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music and at the Music Triennale Cologne. In addition, he made his first compositions and radio recordings for SWR and WDR. 

In 1998 he became solo flutist at the Opera of Pilsen, Czech Republic. After returning to Germany, he devoted himself increasingly to teaching, among other things as a full-time teacher of flute and chamber music at the Städtische Musikschule in Bad Wildbad. In 2003 his contemporary textbook “Das Pars-pro-Toto Spiel – Neue Klänge auf Teilen der Flöte”  (Pars-pro-Toto-Playing – New Sounds on Parts of the Flute with CD) was published by Musikverlag Zimmermann, Mainz, flanked by workshops on these special playing techniques, which he researched and wrote down over a period of 10 years.

Andreas Mazur’s versatility and his constant search for new challenges are also reflected in his further professional career. In 2000 he already became an editor for the orchestral sector at the world’s oldest music publisher Breitkopf & Härtel in Wiesbaden. In 2006 he moved to the TDK Music label in Düsseldorf as product manager for the conception and publication of music DVDs in the genres of opera, concert, ballet and jazz. This music division of TDK was taken over by the DVD label Arthaus Musik Berlin in 2008. The move to the capital Berlin was also a particularly fortunate coincidence for Andreas Mazur in that he has since been able to make his contribution to the vibrant musical life here as flutist, composer and arranger. 

In 2015, for example, he founded the ensemble TwoFlutesPlus with his long-time friend and fellow student Rudolf Döbler, associate solo flutist of the radio symphony orchestra Berlin (RSB). In constantly changing line-ups, the two flutists create exciting concert programmes for their own concert series. Andreas Mazur is also a sought-after arranger, among others for the 14 Berliner Flötisten under the artistic direction of Andreas Blau. Finally, as an editor, Andreas Mazur dedicates himself to the re-publication of long out-of-print flute rarities.