Martin Kohlstedt

Martin Kohlstedt studied media art at the Bauhaus University Weimar, was trained in jazz piano and produced electronic dance music before focussing on his solo works.He initially released two corresponding solo piano albums: 'Tag' (2012) & 'Nacht' (2014). In 2017, a third record followed, called 'Strom', which also features electronic instrumentation. 2020 saw his fourth solo release called 'Flur'. In a live setting Kohlstedt mostly uses grand and upright pianos in combination with a Fender Rhodes and several synthesizers. The Daily Telegraph said in review of his London live debut that "the music’s repetitive patterns and modal harmonies sometimes reminded one of other music often described as hypnotic, from Ryuichi Sakamoto to Einaudi. What sets Kohlstedt apart is the undercurrent of anxiety, and the occasional moments of grandeur". He frequently plays concerts at international festivals and concert halls, such as the Russian State Library in Moscow,where he also played a television concert for the Russian TV station Дождь, or the Talar-e Rudaki in Teheran.In December 2017, Kohlstedt played a sold-out show in the main hall of the newly built Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.He also plays contemporary pop and electronic music festivals like SXSW Festival.