Irmin Schmidt | Artist
Irmin Schmidt is a German keyboardist and composer born 1937 in Berlin. Schmidt is best known as a founding member of the band Can and as a prolific composer of film soundtracks. Schmidt's father was an architect and engineer, and both his parents played piano. He began his studies in music at the conservatorium in Dortmund, and expanded his education in conducting at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, studying under Heinz Dressel. Additionally, he took a piano lessons from Detlef Kraus and studied composition under the Hungarian avant-garde composer György Ligeti. Schmidt started work mainly as a conductor and performed in concerts with the Bochum Symphony, the Vienna Symphony, and the Dortmund Ensemble for New Music, which he founded in 1962. During this time, Schmidt conducted the West German premiere of John Cage's "Atlas Eclipticalis" with Bochum Symphony Orchestra and performed Cage's piano piece "Winter Music". In 1968, Schmidt founded the experimental krautrock band Can with Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli and Jaki Liebezeit. Schmidt served as Can's keyboardist until the group's disbandment in 1979. He participated in both reunions of Can, in 1986 and 1991. In their earliest days, the band was called The Inner Space and they recorded two film soundtracks: Agilok & Blubbo and Kamasutra credited to Irmin Schmidt and The Inner Space. The albums, which were not released until 2009, have an experimental psychedelic sound, hinting at sound Can would develop in subsequent years. Schmidt has scored more than 40 films and television programs, including Knife in the Head (1978) and Palermo Shooting (2008). Outside of his work with Can, Schmidt has scored more than 40 films and television programs, recorded solo albums and collaborations with artists such as Bruno Spoerri and Jono Podmore aka Kumi, plus written an opera, Gormenghast, based on Mervyn Peake's book trilogy. Standout albums include Filmmusik (1980), Toy Planet (1981), Musk at Dusk (1987), Impossible Holidays (1991) and Axolotl Eyes (2008). His Filmmusik series, extending over 5 volumes, is highly recommended. Schmidt's wife Hildegard has been responsible for Can's management and record label, Spoon Records since the 1970s. In 2018 Schmidt and British writer and editor Rob Young published a book on Can entitled "All Gates Open: The Story of Can". Schmidt lives in Southern France, and his interests outside music include cooking.
Artist Website: irminschmidt.com
Featured Albums: Irmin Schmidt
Related Artists: Can, The Inner Space
