Prof. Dr. Jascha Nemtsov
Professor of Musicology, History of Jewish Music
Officer for Foreigners
Hochschulzentrum am Horn
Office hours: In the summer semester 2024 on Wednesdays 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. by telephone.
The pianist and musicologist Jascha Nemtsov was born in Magadan (Siberia) and grew up in Saint Petersburg where he graduated from a special music school and was awarded a gold medal. He then continued his musical education at the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory where he graduated with a concert diploma, with distinction. Since 1992 he lives in the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2004 Jascha Nemtsov earned his doctorate and in 2007 his habilitation. In his scientific works he focuses on Jewish music and Jewish composers of the 20th century. He gives guest lectures and master classes at numerous European universities and music academies as well as in Israel, Canada and the USA. Jascha Nemtsov is a member of the School of Jewish Studies at the University of Potsdam and of the Editorial Board of the Milken Archive of Jewish Music (Santa Monica/New York). Since 2010 he is Academic Director of the Cantorial School of the Abraham Geiger College. For the summer term 2011 he was Visiting Professor for Jewish Music and Culture at the University of Lüneburg. 2013 he was appointed as professor for History of Jewish Music at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar. The chair is funded by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und
Forschung for the project Zentrum Jüdische Studien Berlin-Brandenburg.
As a pianist he has recorded almost 30 CDs, featuring numerous world premiere recordings and a vast spectrum of recordings from Romantic compositions such as Liszt and Raff to Turkish music (Saygun), Bartok, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and to Shchedrin and Balakauskas. "Jascha Nemtsov presents himself as a worthy descendant of Liszt and his pupils", so the German magazine "Fono Forum" in November of 2008 on the occasion of Nemtsov's new released CD with rhapsodies by Franz Liszt. Many of his CDs have been honoured with various international distinctions. In 2007 his CD featuring sonatas for violin and piano by Shostakovich and Weinberg, together with the violinist Kolja Blacher, was awarded the German Record Critics Prize. On January 27th 2012 he performed in the German Bundestag on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of the victims of National Socialism. Jascha Nemtsov plays solo concerts as well as participates in various chamber music formations in Europe, Israel, Canada, Russia and the USA. Among his regular chamber music partners are David Geringas, Kolja Blacher, Tabea Zimmermann, Ingolf Turban, Dmitri Sitkovetsky, Chen Halevi, and the Vogler Quartet. Additionally he is an exceptionally gifted narrator who often accentuates his concerts with lively comments.