Jörg Halubek was awarded First Prize at the 14th International Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Competition in Leipzig, 2004. “Intellectual and musical values are in the foreground of the Bach competition. It's all about a synthesis of the most noble concepts of art” (Robert Levin, president of the competition)
Following that success he accepted invitations to Bach Festivals in Leipzig, Ansbach and Aschaffenburg, and was also asked to perform at the International Musical Festival Olympus Moscow/ St. Petersburg, Ludwigsburg Castle Festival, International Organ Festival in Treviso (Italy) and the International Handel Festival in Göttingen. Furthermore he gave organ concerts in Oslo, Parma, Basle, Lübeck, in the Gewandhaus and St. Thomas-Church in Leipzig, in Westminster Cathedral, London on the romantic Willis organ, and at Chester Cathedral. Among his most enriching experiences were concerts on preserved Silbermann and Hildebrandt organs in Germany. At the moment he is devoting himself to the performance of Bach's complete organ works spread across fourteen consecutive Sundays, finishing in March 2007. “… excellent regarding the musical presentation, the interpretation, and also regarding the technical tasks…” (Helmuth Rilling commenting on Halubek's fourth concert of the Bach cycle in Stuttgart)
Jörg Halubek played Bach's Concertos for harpsichord with the Venice Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Andrea Marcon at the European Music Festival Stuttgart. He also played with the Philharmonic Orchestra of St. Petersburg and the State Orchestra of Stuttgart. In the season of 2007 he can be heard in the Stuttgart Ballet production of ‘KLANG-KÖRPER’ playing Poulenc's Organ Concerto. In June 2007 he will play the solo part of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.5 while on tour in Japan with the Chamber Orchestra of Stuttgart. “Jörg Halubek developed a sequence that we could only follow breathlessly” (Stuttgarter Zeitung) “…with tempestuous brilliance and a never decreasing dynamic energy” (Marbacher Zeitung)
In the Spring of 2006 Halubek made a recording with Lajos Lencses of Bach's Sonata in b-minor for oboe and harpsichord for Bayer Records, and in the summer of that year he recorded the complete organ and harpsichord works of Bernardo Storace (Venice 1664) with Southwest German Radio Stuttgart. These latter works he played on two original Italian instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries which form part of the collection of the Württembergische State Museum and the University of Music in Stuttgart. Currently, he is producing a recording entitled “Between geniality and virtuosity – works by the young J.S.Bach”. He will perform this same programme during the Bach-week Ansbach 2007, in August. “Jörg Halubek performed the melancholic, lamenting gesture [of Bach's Chromatic Fantasy] with great intimacy, but without any artificial exaggeration. That's what made the piece a lasting event. You couldn't avoid the sheer flow of sound” (Lausitzer Rundschau, Berlin)
After having studied with Jon Laukvik and Robert Hill in Stuttgart and Freiburg, Jörg Halubek (born in 1977) specialised in Early Music at the Schola Cantorum in Basle. He completed his studies with distinction in organ, harpsichord and basso continuo with Andrea Marcon, Jesper Christensen and Jörg-Andreas Bötticher. In 2002 he was awarded Scholarships by the Study Foundation of the German People and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). “In Jörg Halubek I see one of most remarkable harpsichord players among young professional musicians.” (Robert Hill)
Jörg Halubek is working towards the restoration of the late romantic organ at the Art Nouveau church in Stuttgart-Gaisburg and oversees a series of concerts there. Since 2003 he has been teaching harpsichord and Historic Performance Practice at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart, and since 2005 has been teaching organ at the University of Music in Karlsruhe.
