Alexander von Puttkamer

“It’s certainly something very special for any musician to play with the Berliner Philharmoniker. The first time it happened to me, my immediate feeling was a slight nervousness which then turned into great happiness as well as pride. The tuba isn’t a solo instrument, but together with the double basses it forms the orchestra’s foundation.”

Actually Alexander von Puttkamer wanted to learn the trumpet, but there were no more places for that instrument available at his local music school. A friend of the family and aspiring tuba player handed him a small tuba. Alexander von Puttkamer got on well with the instrument at once, and he stuck with it. His first ensemble experience came in various youth orchestras, including the Bundesjugendorchester (German national youth orchestra), the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and the European Union Youth Orchestra. After completing his studies with Walter Hilgers at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik und Theater, he became a member in 1996 of Hamburg’s NDR Symphony Orchestra. Further stepping stones on his path to the Berliner Philharmoniker included the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra (1998-2004) and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (2004-07) in Munich. Alexander von Puttkamer, also a regular member of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra since 1999, plays golf, is interested in wine and art and enjoys visiting museums, insofar as his two small daughters allow him the time…