Martin Kohlstedt

Both live and on his recordings, Martin Kohlstedt sets standards in how cutting-edge electronica can merge with analog and acoustic elements from classical piano, ambient music, field recordings, and score design.

Kohlstedt intuitively manages to find a common form for influences from such diverse worlds, creating a vibrant whole—whether as a spectacular festival show, an introspective piano recital, a multidimensional film soundtrack, or an immersive album experience.

Kohlstedt describes his working method as modular composition. The pieces are constantly evolving and do not follow a fixed form, even in concert. Improvisation is an essential part of his creative process, as is the courage to fail, the exploration, and the interaction with context, space, and people.

Martin Kohlstedt has collaborated with renowned partners such as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Choir, artists like Ben Böhmer, Douglas Dare, Sudan Archives, and Henrik Schwarz, as well as labels like Warner Classics. He performs concerts in over 30 countries, including at some of Europe's most prestigious venues and festivals. In addition to his own compositions, Kohlstedt writes soundtracks for films, plays, podcasts, and radio dramas. He runs his own label, Edition Kohlstedt, and fulfills his responsibility as an artist through a reforestation project. Martin Kohlstedt lives and works in Weimar.