Oliver Kern je rođen 1970. u Švebiš Gmundu (Schwäbisch Gmünd), Njemačka, gdje je sa pet godina počeo da uči klavir. Njegova umjetnička aktivnost počela je veoma rano, istakavši se na muzičkoj sceni Njemačke svojim velikim dostignućima na međunarodnim klavirskim takmičenjima. Diplomirao je klavir, orkestarsko i horsko dirigovanje na Staatliche Hochschule für Musik u Štutgartu, u klasi Van Ing Ong. Specijalizaciju studira u klasama Rudolfa Buhbindera i Karl-Hajnca Kamerlinga, na Musik-Akademie u Bazelu i Mozarteum u Salzburgu. Tokom karijere, osvojio je veliki broj nagrada na međunarodnim klavirskim takmičenjima, uključujući prve i druge nagrade na internacionalnim takmičenjima u Senigaliji, Hamamatsuu, Pekingu i Parizu. Privukao je pažnju i pozitivne osvrte kritičara osvojivši dva prestižna takmičenja: “ARD” nagrada u Minhenu (1999) i “Beethoven” nagrada u Beču (2001), postavši prvi njemački pijanista koji je osvojio navedenu nagradu; kasnije je osvojio specijalnu nagradu za najbolje izvođenje Betovenovih sonata. Veoma su cijenjena njegova izvođenja kompozicija Betovena i Bramsa – kritičari su prepoznali njegovu virtuoznost koja nije sama sebi cilj, već je usmjerena ka podrobnom istraživanju boja i izraza. Njegova temeljna interpretacija dovela je do realizacije rijetko preduzetih kulturnih projekata kao što su izvođenja kompletnih Bramsovih klavirskih djela za klavir solo na Classix Festival Braunschweig: “Velikim intenzitetom i poezijom Oliver Kern oblikuje Bramsov ciklus”. Nastupao je na značajnim festivalima i u poznatim dvoranama širom Amerike, Azije i Evrope, priredivši priznate i hvaljene koncerte od strane publike na koncertnim scenama poput: Musikverein i Konzerthaus u Beču, Schauspielhaus u Berlinu, Musikhalle u Hamburgu, Herkulessaal u Minhenu, Salle Gaveau u Parizu, Teatro alla Scala u Milanu, Auditorium St. Cecilia u Rimu, Century Hall u Pekingu, Saitama Arts Centre u Tokiju i Seoul Arts Center u Seulu. Nastupao je sa poznatim orkestrima kao što su New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestras of Berlin, Radio Symphony Orchestras of Munich, Radio Symphony Orchestras of Hannover, Radio Symphony Orchestras of Vienna, i sarađivao sa priznatim dirigentima: Denis Rasel Dejvis, Majkl Stern, Lu Jia, Mark Soustrot, Džerard Oskamp and Dmitri Jablonski.Snimao je za radio i televizije u Njemačkoj, Austriji, Francuskoj, Italiji i Japanu, i izdao je CD solističkih klavirskih djela Betovena, Bramsa, Šopena, Ravela, Šuberta, Šumana, Skrjabina i Stravinskog u saradnji sa izdavačkom kućom Realsound.
Nakon što je bio angažovan kao profesor klavira na Hanyang University Seoul, College of Music tokom 2008. Oliver Kern predaje klavir na Hochschule für Musik und Theater u Hamburgu, sve do angažovanja na Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst u Frankfurtu, gdje takođe predaje klavir.
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Oliver Kern was born in 1970 in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, where he began studying piano at the age of 5. His artistic activity started when he was very young, and he stood out in the German musical scene for his brilliant achievements in international piano competitions. He graduated with a first-class degree in piano, orchestral conducting and choral conducting from the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, under the guidance of Wan Ing Ong. He then went on to specialize in piano with Rudolf Buchbinder and Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, at the Musik-Akademie in Basel and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Throughout his career, he has won a considerable number of awards in international piano competitions, including first and second prizes in the international competitions of Senigallia, Hamamatsu, Peking and Paris. He has attracted attention and positive reviews from critics by winning two prestigious competitions: the „ARD“ award (prize) in Munich, in 1999, and the „Beethoven“ award (prize) in Vienna, in 2001, having been the first German pianist to have won this award; in the latter he also received the special award for the best performance of Beethoven’s sonatas. He is much appreciated for his performance of Beethoven’s and Brahms’ music – critics have recognised his noteworthy possession of technical virtuosity that is not an end in itself, but rather oriented toward a thorough research into timbre and expression. His profound interpretation has led him to the realisation of seldom undertaken cultural projects such as the performance of Brahms’ complete works for piano solo in the Classix Festival Braunschweig: “With great intensity and poetry Oliver Kern is modelling the Brahms cycle (Braunschweiger Zeitung).
He has performed in important festivals and in famous halls throughout America, Asia and Europe, and has been acclaimed by audiences at esteemed concert venues such as: Musikverein and Konzerthaus Wien, Schauspielhaus Berlin, Musikhalle Hamburg, Herulessaal Munich, Salle Gaveau Paris, Teatro alla Scala Milan, Auditorium St. Cecilia Rome, Century Hll Beijing, Saitama Arts Centre Tokyo and the Seoul Arts Center. He has played with famous orchestras including the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Seoul Symphony Orchestra, the China National Symphony Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Berlin, Munich, Hannover and Vienna, and worked with eminent conductors such as Dennis Russell Davies, Michael Stern, Lu Jia, Marc Soustrot, Gerard Oskamp and Dmitri Yablonski. He has recorded for the German, Austrian, French, Italian and Japanese radio and television, and has published CDs of solo piano works by Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Ravel, Schubert, Schumann, Scriabin and Stravinsky on the Realsound label.
After having taught at the Hanyang University Seoul, College of Music, as professor of piano in 2008, Oliver Kern taught at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hamburg as professor of piano, before taking his current position as professor of piano at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Frankfurt.