Michael Erni was born in Olten, Switzerland and completed his teacher training and concert studies at the Conservatory and music school of Zurich. He received his soloists diploma with distinction from Bern Conservatory after studying under Miguel Rubio and continued his studies under Jürgen Schöllmann/BRD. Michael Erni attended the master class of Andrés Segovia and in 1988 attended a master course on Spanish music headed by Pepe Romero. He has recorded for LPs and radio, including as the soloist in the guitar concertos by Vivaldi and Giuliani published on the French label REM. In 1994 Pan-Classics published a CD with Spanish guitar music by Albeniz and Granados, and a further CD with the Swiss Chamber Trio. Michael Erni's musicalisation of Nietzsche's poems, with the German actor Gert Westphal as orator and David Aguilar as flutist, have also been published on CD. He is soloist with renowned orchestras and ensembles including the Bern Chamber Orchestra, the Lucerne Festival Strings, the 'M.-Nostitz-Quartett' in Prague, the 'Musikkollegium Winterthur', the Swiss Chamber Trio and the Klezmer trio 'Gilboa'. In recognition of his works, Michael Erni was awarded a financial prize by the canton of Solothurn and in 1995 he received the Golden Medaille "for exceptional services to Olten". In 2000 he was awarded the recognition prize of the city of Olten. As a composer Michael Erni has produced works for solo guitar as well as for guitar with various other chamber musical instrumentation and in 1991 his concert for guitar and orchestra was successfully premiered. The notes of his 'Estudios diabolicos' are published by the German publishers 'Fritz & Vogt'. In October 1995 his composition 'Skyline for two pianos' was successfully premiered in Rome, the premiere of his cantata for choir and orchestra followed in 1996. In 1997 Michael Erni received the distinction 'Diplomo Merito' for his string quartet with guitar at the international composers competition in Viareggo, Italy and was successfully premiered in 1999 by the 'Prager Nostiz-Quartett'. 2004 saw the premiere of his concert 'Connecting', for electric guitar and orchestra.
Work list
Klangskizze (1985)
Based on a poem by F. Nietzsche "Nach einem nächtlichen Gewitter"
Instrumentation: for guitar
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Four melodramas based on texts by Friedrich Nietzsche (1987-1988)
Instrumentation: for orator, guitar and flute
Texts: Friedrich Nietzsche
Duration: 30' 00" Manuscript
Estudios diabolicos (1989)
Instrumentation: for guitar
Duration: 20' 00"
Musikverlag Vogt & Fritz
Schweinfurt
Palais Besenval (1990)
Large fantasy concertante
Instrumentation: for flute and guitar
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
Concert (1990-1991)
Instrumentation: for guitar and orchestra (1.1.0.1/1.0.0.0/perc/str)
Duration: 30' 00" Manuscript
Triptycon and Finale (1991)
Instrumentation: for guitar
Duration: 11' 00" Manuscript
Popular music for classical guitar (1992)
guitar pieces for intermediate level
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Lamento (1992)
Instrumentation: for organ and guitar
Duration: 9' 00" Manuscript
Colors (1994)
Instrumentation: for flute, oboe, guitar and spotlight ad libitum
Duration: 13' 00" Manuscript
Skyline (1994-1995)
Instrumentation: for two pianos
Duration: 8' 00" Manuscript
Cantata (1996)
"Where the spirit of the Lord is, that is freedom"
Instrumentation: for four-part choir and orchestra (1.1.0.1/1.0.0.0/str)
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
Cantata (1996)
"Where the spirit of the Lord is, that is freedom"
Instrumentation: for four-part choir and organ
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
Konstruktionen (1997)
Instrumentation: for guitar and string quartet
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Musical for three (1998)
Instrumentation: for flute, oboe and guitar
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
Connecting (2002-2003)
Rondo
Instrumentation: for electric guitar and orchestra (1.1.0.0/1.1.0.0/perc/str)
Duration: 25' 00" Manuscript
variations on the capriccio No. 24 by Paganini (2003)
Instrumentation: for electric guitar
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Fantasy "Flamenco e Opera" (2006)
Instrumentation: for guitar
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Recuerdos de Malaga (2007)
Instrumentation: for 4 guitars
Duration: 9' 00" Manuscript
Electric Tales (2007-2008)
Concert
Instrumentation: for electric guitar and orchestra (2.2.2.2/2.2.0.0/timp.perc/str)