Titus Engel
 
was born in Zürich/Switzerland in 1975. Trained as double-bass player he studied musicology and philosophy in Zürich/Switzerland and Berlin/Germany ( Master of Arts, thesis about Grabstein für Stefan by György Kurtàg ) and conducting with Christian Kluttig at the Dresden music conservatory, including masterclasses with Sir Colin Davies and Peter Eötvös.

As assistant conductor he worked with Sylvain Cambreling ( Salzburger Festspiele/Austria ), Marc Albrecht ( Deutsche Oper Berlin/Germany ), Markus Stenz and Lothar Zagrosek ( both Junge Deutsche Philharmonie/Germany ), participating in extraordinary productions such as the world premiere of Cronaca del luogo by Luciano Berio and the Berlin-premiere of Saint Francois d’Assise by Olivier Messiaen.

As musical director of the Europe-wide acclaimed world premiere of the opera Jakob von Gunten by Benjamin Schweitzer he was appointed musical director of ensemble courage Dresden, one of the upcoming ensembles of contemporary music of Germany ( Siemens-Förderpreis 2001 ). As guest conductor he was invited by ensemble resonanz, musica viva ensemble, Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin, MDR ensemble, RIAS-Jugendorchester and Neue Elblandphilharmonie. He recorded several world premieres of young European composers for German Broadcasting Stations like MDR, SWR and HR.

Titus Engel initiated and organized Akedemie Musiktheater Heute a think-thank of contemporary opera and was co-editor of the anthology Generation Oper. He received a DAAD-prize granted for outstanding achievements of foreign students and since 2001 he is fellow at the DIRIGENTENFORUM of the Deutsche Musikrat.
 

Phonography : AUFTAKT/POSITION - ensemble courage