ItalianoKeys & strings, conductor, composer
Günther is one of the pioneers of the renaissance of silent film music and one of the most experienced practitioners. He accompanies silent films for over 38 years with a repertoire of 3100 titles. His wide experience in music from Baroque to Jazz allows him a huge stylistic variety in musical improvisation. Since 1984 he plays regularly at film festivals in Berlin (Berlinale, Int Filmfestival), Bonn, Bristol Slapstick Silent (musical director), Pordenone (“Giornate del Cinema Muto”), Zürich, München, San Francisco Silent Filmfestival.
He plays piano, violin and viola, cinema organ, sometimes simultaneously.
Specialized on Silent Film he conducts symphonic orchestras. Since 1998 he is associate conductor of the Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra which premiered his scores for FAUST, NOSFERATU and his BLACK FOREST MOUNTAIN SYMPHONY.
He has been working with international renowned musicians such as Giora Feidman (“King of Klezmer”), David Kracauer, Markus Stockhausen, Arditti Stringquartet, Philippe Catherine, Adrian Mears.
As conductor he has been working with Graz Opera Orchestra, Halle State Symphony, Metropolitan Tokyo, Kyoto Symphony, Island State Symphony, Bristol Ensemble, Orchestra San Marco Pordenone, Opera de Nice, Solistes du Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, Zuger Sinfonietta, Ensemble Kontaste Nürnberg.
Amongst others, Guenter is laureate of the Cultural Award for the City of Freiburg (2012) and for the Ad-Hoc Award for the Beethoven Fest Bonn. As assistant professor he teaches music education at the University of Music Basel Dep. Jazz (Switzerland) and is visiting professor on film music topics in Zürich and Freiburg.