Wolfgang Sieber (b. 1954) was born into a family of musicians from the small town of Lichtensteig in Toggenburg, north-eastern Switzerland, close to the “birthplace” of over 100 of the celebrated Toggenburg house organs. He established himself as an organist at the age of 13. For his further education in piano, organ and church music he is indebted to, amongst others, Hans Vollenweider in Zurich, Jiri Reinberger in Prague, Gaston Litaize and Jean Langlais in Paris and Franz Lehrndorfer in Munich.

Sieber’s activities as soloist and accompanist, Korrepetitor (Johannes Fuchs, Sergio Celibidache) and partner (Christopher Herrick, Simon Stanciu, Regula Schneider, CD productions with Lukas Christinat and Heinz della Torre, DVD featuring pipa and organ withYang Jing) embrace the fields of classical, ethnic, traditional folk music (CD productions with Willi Valotti, Aeschlismatter Yodel Trio, the Rymann family), and areas of jazz (Frank Sikora, CD production saxophone and organ with Uwe Steinmetz) and cabaret ( DVD with Osy Zimmermann). Thanks to contrasts in programme, style and ensemble – CD productions with Guuggenmusig Wäsmalichatze Luzern or with the Lucern-based girl’s choir inVOICE - thematically centred links to person and occasion, instrument and place are formed. Sieber’s CD series “The Symphonic Organ” focuses on outstanding works by Franck, Reger and Messiaen. Concert engagements lead him as much to Berlin as to the Culture and Conference Centre in Lucerne, and to Japan as much as to the Alpine Valleys or, for example, in 2003 to Paris at St. Clotilde, the workplace of César Franck. Besides his work as performer and composer, Sieber is also active as a music teacher, educating both children and students of music, including the performance class for organ of the SMPV, as promoter of young musicians, organiser of composers’ seminars (Petr Eben, Naji Hakim), concert series and promotional events featuring the 350-year-old organ of the Hofkirche in Lucerne. Sieber is also instigator of première performances (Linus David, Carl Rütti, Felix Schüeli, Sales Kleeb), and is engaged as adjudicator, examiner and advisor. As part of the Lichtensteig Jazz Festival 2004 Wolfgang Sieber performed the solo part of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”. Three months later he gave the European première of Hakim’s “Seattle Concerto” and the première of his own work which was specially composed for this event, the rhapsody “Glückauf!”, for organ and instrumental ensemble on the symphonic Kuhn organ of the new Alfred Krupp Hall in the Philharmonie in Essen, Germany. For the opening of the 100th anniversary year of Messiaen’s birth in 2008 he performed the composer’s “Nativité” at the same location (documented on a live CD released by Ars Production, Germany).

As church musician of the Collegiate Church of St. Leodegar in Lucerne, Wolfgang Sieber has been able to open a broad musical domain for himself. Besides the historically restored Walpenorgel, he has at his disposal the stylistically most versatile instrument in Switzerland. Thanks to Sieber’s own initiative www.hoforgel-luzern.ch some of the original ranks (1648/1862) of the Great Organ, removed in 1972, are gradually being re-introduced, once more playing a role in the “organ landscape” of the Hofkirche. Also intended is a large Echo Organ connected to the Great Organ which would be positioned above the rood screen which conceals the sacristy the south side of the church.