Sebastian Nordmann

Sebastian Nordmann, who was born in Kiel in 1971, studied Musicology and Modern History at the Ruprecht Karls University in Heidelberg and later at the Free University and the Technical University in Berlin. Immediately after obtaining his master’s degree, he wrote his doctoral thesis under Prof. Dr. Christian Martin Schmidt on the topic of “The Influence of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival on the Musical Landscape of Schleswig-Holstein.” With the goal of learning the basics of business and management in practice, he also worked for two years as a corporate consultant for the Boston Consulting Group on both strategic and restructuring projects involving a major record label and two banks.

From October 2002 to December 2008, he served as Artistic Director and Executive Director of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festspiele. During his tenure, he succeeded in doubling the number of events and visitors and worked closely with such artists as Julia Fischer, Daniel Hope, and Quatuor Ebène. Up to 90% of the festival’s financing was supported by private funds.

From 2008 to 2013, he taught Music Management/Career Development at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre. In addition to teaching the basics of management, the course focuses on the development of personal initiative and entrepreneurial thinking.

Sebastian Nordmann was Director of the Konzerthaus Berlin and the Konzerthaus Berlin Orchestra from September 2009 to April 2025. Throughout the course of his tenure, he engaged Iván Fischer, Christoph Eschenbach, and Joana Mallwitz as Principal Conductors.

From 2016 to 2025, he was Artistic Director of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Conservatory Competition held by the 24 German Music Academies. His responsibilities in this capacity included organizing the juries for the competition every year and commissioning works to be played by each participant.

Starting in January 2026, he will take over as Executive and Artistic Director of Lucerne Festival.

September 2025