Michael Benedict Bender

Michael Benedict Bender (* 1958 in Bühl , Baden) is a German church musician and composer .

life and work

The son of a pastor attended a grammar school in Rastatt and studied school music in Karlsruhe from 1978 to 1982 and Protestant church music in Heidelberg from 1983 to 1987 . From 1980 to 1987 he also worked as a church musician at the Evangelical Johanneskirche in Rastatt. After his A-exam, he was initially assistant to the regional cantor of North Baden at the Christ Church in Mannheim from 1987 to 1988 .

Since 1989 he has worked as a cantor and organist at the Evangelical City Church in Ravensburg and is the district cantor of the Ravensburg church district . He is the leader of numerous choirs, including two children's choirs, the choir of the city church, the Martin Luther choir , the gospel choir Unity , the Ravensburg Bach choir , the Ravensburg motet choir founded by him in 1990 and the Ravensburg vocalists . In 2003 he was appointed church music director by the regional bishop for his achievements .

Bender is the chief editor of the Württembergische Blätter für Kirchenmusik , the journal of the Association of Evangelical Church Music in Württemberg.

As a church musician and editor he uses the name "Michael Bender" without the middle name, as a composer he uses "Michael Benedict Bender".

Awards

• Richard Wagner scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Scholarship Foundation
• 2005 Culture Prize from the cities of Ravensburg and Weingarten

Compositions

Stage works

• Rumpelstiltskin , children's opera
• On the way with David ; Children's musical composed with Ingo Bredenbach based on a text by Brigitte Antes

Choral works

• King Dave. Pop oratorio
• The holy night. A choir play for Christmas
• Magnificat (My soul magnifies) , choral work
• Advent. 5 songs based on the words of the Holy Scriptures
• The miracle of Bethlehem. Christmas oratorio
• Fearless and Free. A Luther Oratorio (Text: Jochen Tolk)

Instrumental works

• The terrible five. An organ concert for children
• Joseph and his brothers. Organ concert for children

literature

• Michael Bender: The new editor of the Württembergische Blätter Michael Bender introduces himself . In: Württemberg sheets for church music . 71st year 2004, issue 5, pp. 19-20
• Gunther Dahinten : Music as a link to church and community. Michael Bender . In: Profiles Ravensburg . Biberacher Verlagsdruckerei, Biberach 2008, ISBN 978-3-933614-40-7 , pp. 28–31
• Barbara Waldvogel: “Popular music” is becoming increasingly important . Interview with Michael Bender and Sönke Wittnebel. In: Info-Blättle , Evangelical Church District Ravensburg, March 2012, p. 3 ( online as PDF )

Web links

• Works by and about Michael Benedict Bender in the catalog of the German National Library
• Church music Ravensburg
• Württemberg sheets for church music
• Biography at Strube-Verlag