meet the artist Thomas Sporrer

Thomas Sporrer Biography

Thomas Sporrer is known for his work as a chamber and orchestra musician, as the drummer and/or percussionist for various bands and projects, and last but not least, as a soloist in a variety of styles. In addition to orchestral productions, his broad experience and talent allow him to shine within styles ranging from crossover to musical theater productions, as well as studio productions and live appearances. Thomas is currently a member of Martin Grubinger - The Percussive Planet Ensemble, the Vivi Vassileva Quartet, the Ensemble Clazzic (a crossover of jazz and classical music), and the Japanese taiko group DRUMATURGIA. He also regularly appears with soul and pop singers Maggie Jane as well as various gala bands. Under the tutelage of Stefan Blum, Jörg Hannabach, Thomas Höfs, and Guido Rückele, Thomas graduated with a degree in classical percussion – with distinction – from the Nuremberg-Augsburg University of Music (Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg-Augsburg) in 2009. Later on, during his master's program at the University of Augsburg, he was taught by Jost Nickel and Roland Peil. Remaining thirsty for knowledge, he has since continued his studies with the likes of Anika Nilles, Eliel Lazo, Stefan Maass, and Rhani Krija, broadening his musical horizons in the realms of gospel drumming and Latin/Pop percussion.

As an orchestral percussionist, Thomas Sporrer has appeared: as a solo timpanist at the State Opera in Cairo; as an apprentice with the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra; as a soloist with the Munich Radio Orchestra (Münchner Rundfunkorchester) and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Orchestra (Staatsorchester Rheinland-Pfalz) and within various productions offered by the Munich Symphony Orchestra (Münchner Symphonikern), e.g., the "Mandela Trilogy", "Lord of the Rings", "James Bond", etc.). He has worked with conductors such as Christian Schumann, Ludwig Wicki, Anu Tali, Albert Horne, Kevin John Edusei, Ekart Wycik, Scott Lawton, and Enrico Delamboye.

In 2011, he founded DRUMATURGIA, a group combining electrifying choreography with the raw power of Asian drums. Together, they present original contemporary works, including custom compositions from celebrated composers such as Wilfried Hiller, among others. The project also regularly collaborates with various ensembles, such as the Henschel Quartet, and avoids genre classification through its alter ego "Drumaturgia & Friends" – a larger lineup that delves into a crossover of jazz and world music.

A versatile percussionist, Thomas also explored the world of musical theater through projects with Cirque du Soleil, Team Extreme ("Vertical Orchestra"), and Power Percussion. He was even featured as a soloist during the opening of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, in a piece directed by André Heller and Christian Stückl.

Country: Germany

Band: The Percussive Planet Ensemble, Vivi Vassileva Quartett