Christian Goosses

Christian Goosses’ career began in Freiburg, where he studied modern viola with Ulrich Koch, who paved the way for many well-known violists to reach the concert stage. It soon became clear to Christian Goosses that he was particularly interested in so-called “historical performance practice”, the search for the original sound, the tonal realization of what the composer had in mind when composing.

Christian Goosses was active on the early music scene, playing in Nicolaus Harnoncourt’s Concentus Musicus Wien and in Reinhard Goebel’s Musica Antiqua Köln, as well as in ensembles such as La Stagione Frankfurt, Concerto Köln and Cantus Cölln. In Freiburg, Christian Goosses found like-minded musicians, became one of the initiators of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and continues to provide important impulses for this ensemble, with which he has traveled throughout Europe, to North and South America and to Southeast Asia. Christian Goosses tirelessly searches for new insights into phrasing, articulation and sound. Theory and practice are inseparable for him: He is interested in making lively music for a modern audience, to whom he wants to bring the charm, effervescence and expression of the music of past eras.

He sees it as an important task to pass on his experience to young musicians; he offers them inspiration and exchange in his chamber music and viola courses. Christian Goosses’ musical home is and remains chamber music, which has strongly influenced his self-image as an artist. He found both in Cologne: his current home and a chamber music ensemble with which he can realize his idea of original sound – his ventures with the Schuppanzigh Quartet start from the cathedral city. Numerous CD and DVD releases, published by Deutsche Grammophon, harmonia mundi france, TDK and others, prove Christian Goosses to be a versatile artist who mediates between tradition and the present.