BIOGRAPHY

Ernst Ströer

Musician, Composer, Producer, Author, Lecturer lives close to Munich in Bavaria, Germany.

Musician

In 1981, Ernst Ströer starts his professional career at the age of 18 as Percussionist and Handdrummer, playing with Volker Kriegels "MILD MANIAC ORCHESTRA“ (Albums: JOURNAL, SCHÖNE AUSSICHTEN, published by MOOD Records). He works with Mild Maniac Orchestra for 5 years, touring, recording and working on his unique drum technique and his special hand drumset.

Since then, Ernst has worked as a session player on more than 100 albums, featuring Andreas Vollenweider, Udo Lindenberg, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Inga Rumpf, Cusco, Harald Haerter, David Rhodes, Wolfgang Dauner, Charlie Mariano, Lou Bega, Rosanna & Zelia, Pippo Pollina, Wolfgang Haffner, Clara Ponty, Curt Cress, Jojo Mayer, John Abercrombie, Kruder&Dorfmeister, David Liebman, Anthony Jackson, Eric Truffaz, Nils Petter Molvaer, Lars Danielsson, Dominic Miller and others. He played concerts with the Intergalactic Maiden Ballet, Eartha Kitt, Taj Mahal, Avitall, Nikki Iles, Dhafer Youssef and others.

STRÖER BROS.

In 1982, Ernst starts to release albums together with his brother, the acclaimed german film music composer Hans P. Ströer (STRÖER BROS.). Their first album "STRÖER DUO - FLUCHTWEG MADAGASKAR" (1982) features the enigmatic song "Vietnam". 1983 they form a band called "NERV" with the english singer Tony Trott. The eponymous album is released 1983, followed by two concert tours.

STRÖER BROS. & HOWARD FINE

The albums „NOMADEN“ (1985) " and VOODOO TRAVEL" (2010), featuring the american poet and dancer HOWARD FINE, become cult. „NOMADEN“ is rewarded with the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. In 1987, STRÖER BROS. & HOWARD FINE are touring South-East Asia by invitation of the German Cultural Institute (Goethe Institute), playing concerts in Singapur, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jacarta, Bandung and Surabaya. In 2022, STRÖER BROS. & HOWARD FINE - "HOMEWARD" CD-Box with Faksimile Book is released, completing the "NOMADS TRILOGY". "HOMEWARD" has been nominated for the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik".

PASSPORT

Since 1989, Ernst is part of Klaus Doldingers legendary band PASSPORT, playing more than 1000 concerts, touring Germany, Switzerland, Austria, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco and New Zealand. On stage and in the studio, PASSPORT works with guests like Don Alias, Gregory Porter, Joy Denalane, Billy Cobham, Jonny Copeland, Carlinhos Brown, Max Mutzke, Dominic Miller, Rhani Krija, Eko Fresh, Jocelin B. Smith, Nils Landgren, China Moses, Brian Auger, Majid Bekkas, Roy Ayers, Sasha, Johnny Griffin, Robben Ford, Cassandra Wilson, Randy Brecker, Leo Siberski, WDR-Bigband, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Kieler Philharmoniker, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Bach Collegium Munich, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, WDR Funkhausorchester Köln and more. Up to now, Ernst Ströer can be heard on 17 Passport albums.

DRUMLESSON

In 2007, the acclaimed DJ Christian Prommer from Munich starts the band projekt "DRUMLESSON". The first CD "DRUMLESSON VOL. 1“ is recorded live without overdubs on one day, featuring Roberto di Gioia, Dieter Ilg, Wolfgang Haffner, Ernst Ströer and mixed in the legendary G-Stone Studios by Peter Kruder. It is released in 2008 by Sonar Kollektiv. With DRUMLESSON, Ernst Ströer tours Japan in 2008 and plays concerts in London, Tokio, Osaka, Amsterdam, Thessaloniki, Berlin, Danzig, Salzburg, Dublin, Hamburg, Helsinki, Southport, Wien, Graz, Porto, Köln, Brecon, Singapur, Zürich, Dresden … In 2010, K7 releases "DRUMLESSON ZWEI", produced by Peter Kruder.

THE DRUMMING OF THE GODS

Since 2012 Ernst has been intensively involved with the rhythm of South India and the technique of the South Indian percussion instruments Mridangam and Kanjira. Since 2014, Ernst collaborates with the Mridangam master Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy.

In 2022 Ernst starts "THE DRUMMING OF THE GODS", a project based on his eponymous book, consisting of a Youtube channel and new releases:

„Being an enormous cultural treasure and a great gift to the world, the South Indian traditions going back to the gods, the sophisticated instruments and rhythms fascinated Ernst Ströer from his childhood on. Following the thoughts and ideas of his book, "The Drumming of the Gods" offers a garden for musical flowers of all kinds, linked by the fusion of Western and Indian flavors."

Music for Theatre / Radioplays

Since 1988, Ernst composes music for the theatre, contributing to productions at TAT Frankfurt, Stadttheater Basel, Thalia Theater Hamburg, Festspiele Bad Hersfeld, Hamburger Kammerspiele, Staatstheater Hannover, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Residenztheater München, Schauspielhaus Wien, Schiller Theater Berlin, Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Staatstheater Hannover and others. In the 90’s, Ernst produces two radioplays for the German radiostation SWF.

Music for Films

Since1988, Ernst composes music for films. His works include the 24-part TV-series "Berlin Break“, produced by Wolfgang Petersen (Universal Pictures), the feature film "Coming In“, featuring Franka Potente, the Docu-Drama "Eschede Zug 884" by Raimond Ley, the ARD series "Damals nach dem Krieg“ and more.

Producer

During the 80’s, STRÖER BROS. become a well known and succesful producer- and composerteam. 1985 -1998 STRÖER BROS. produce, together with film director Horst Königstein, twelve albums of germany’s rock legend UDO LINDENBERG, including the album „HERMINE", featuring Marlene Dietrich (the last recording before she died) and the orchestral CD "BELCANTO" featuring the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. The Top-Ten-Hits "Hinter´m Horizont geht´s weiter“, "Ein Herz kann man nicht reparieren“ and "Du liebst mich überhaupt nicht mehr“ are produced by STRÖER BROS. There work as producers has been rewarded with several Golden Records. Since1986, STRÖER BROS. produced, arranged and played several CDs, e.g. for Marianne Rosenberg and Wigald Boning.

More Projects

In 1982, STRÖER BROS. become music publishers by founding the Hans P. und Ernst Ströer Musikverlag and the label ILUSION RECORDS. They release soundtracks and books, e.g. „Zu Franz Hummels Opern", edited by Hans and Gabriele Turner.

In 1988, STRÖER BROS. were responsible for the programming and musical direction of the "GERMAN KUNSTDISCO SEOUL", the Official German Cultural Contribution to the Olympic Arts Festival at the Olympic Summer Games in Seoul/South Korea. Ströer Bros. engaged 136 young musicians and DJ Westbam, who put on exclusively their music in the KunstDisco, a building especially designed and built for the Olympic Games. The preparation and conception of the project takes two years. It is the biggest project of the Goethe-Institute ever and a huge success.

In 2003/2004 STRÖER BROS. plan, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut and the greek Ministry Of Culture, the Official German Cultural Contribution to the Olympic Summer Games in Athen 2004 - „SINGLES-COUPLES“, an Open-Air Project about LOVE. The project cannot take place because of security reasons.

In 2005, STRÖER BROS. open their internetshop www.stroerbrosmedia.de in collaboration with amazon. Release of the Original Soundtracks "DIE MANNS" and "SPEER UND ER" from the Docu-Dramas by Heinrich Breloer.

In 2016, Ströer Bros. & Thomas Hauser record at Studio Meudon, Paris

In 2023 Opening of the Youtube-Channel "The Drumming of the Gods"

Author

In 2008, the well-established Schott Verlag releases "DAS MUSIKHÖRBUCH - VOM PASSIVEN ZUM AKTIVEN MUSIKGENUSS" by Ströer Bros, a book for music lovers about listening to music.

In 2018, the Hans Peter und Ernst Ströer Musikverlag releases "THE DRUMMING OF THE GODS - Die Rhythmik Südindiens für Außerindische" by Ernst Ströer, an education book about Solkattu and the possibilities of integrating Southindian principles with western music.

In 2024, "THE DRUMMING OF THE GODS" is released in english on Google Books

Workshops

Since 2011, Ernst gives workshops, starting at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, Dresden and the Berufsfachschule für Musik Mittelfranken.

Since 2012, Ernst gives annual workshops at the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg. "MUSIC FOR FILMS AND THEATER" focuses on producing and composing, but also on the right way to deal with the participants of a production.

Since 2016, Ernst gives workshops on South-Indian Rhythmic, if possible together with Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, San Francisco.

Since 2019, Ernst offers regularly courses on South-Indian Rhythmic, Kanjira and Mridangam at the Freies Musikzentrum, Munich.

Awards

Ernst Ströer got several Golden Records, the "Deutschen Schallplattenpreis" and the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik". With PASSPORT, Ernst Ströer got several German Jazz Echo Awards in Gold and Platin.

Photo by Tom Schäfer