Moritz Ernst, born in1986 in Ostwestfalen, Germany, started playing the piano at the age of five,
taking lessons in Detmold. After graduating from high school at the early age of 16, he continued
his piano studies in 2002 at the Detmolder Musikhochschule where he also studied musicology.
Later on he continued his studies in Lodon and Basel.
Moritz Ernst is currently concertising as pianist, harpsichordist and chamber musician performing a wide range of repertoire from baroque to contemporary music. Concerts include appearences worldwide, as well as at major Festivals (Beethovenfest Bonn etc.). Apart from his busy performance schedule he has taught masterclasses at major institutions (conservatories of
Malmö, Stuttgart, Bern, Shanghai, Boston...).
Music of the 20th and 21st century is especially dear to his heart. Ernst has premiered several
works as well as collaborating closely with composers such as Peter Eötvös, Wolfgang Rihm, Sandeep Bhagwati, Detlef Heusinger, Miklos Maros and others, some of whom have dedicated works to him. In addition, he advocates the forgotten and less played composers; for example by performing Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s Sonata op. 106, Feruccio Busoni‘s Fantasia contrappuntistica and the music of Samuel Scheidt, as well as music for the 16th- tone - piano.
The international press has praised Moritz Ernst highly for his superb recordings. The Classical
Music Magazine awarded him its highest rating. Gramophone praised his sparkling and
stimulating interpretations. Diapason and Fono Forum both awarded him top marks (5/5) for his Lourié and Ullmann recordings. In addition, he has performed and recorded for international radio stations. He recorded the complete piano works of Viktor Ullmann and the sonatas by Norbert von Hannenheim on two CDs in collaboration with Deutschlandradio and the CD label EDA Records.
In 2014 he recorded the Piano Concerto by Victor Ullmann with the Dortmund Philharmonic under Gabriel Feltz. In 2016 a 3-CD box set with the complete piano works by Arthur Lourié was issued by Capriccio, as well as other recordings, including the Viktor Ullmann piano concerto and a CD of Haydn piano sonatas. In 2020 he recorded selected piano pieces by the neglected Irish-American composer Swan Hennessy on the Perfect Noise label.
In 2013 Moritz Ernst gave his debut performance with the Symphony Orchestra Bern (Switzerland). In 2014, his highly acclaimed Asian debut took place.There he
also held masterclasses and lectures at the University of Malaysia and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In 2015 he embarked on several other extensive tours, most notably to Teheran,
Montreal and Toronto. In 2017 his commitment to ostracized music led him to an appearance at
the German Bundestag (parliament). Since 2018 his concert appearances have taken place on a
worldwide scale, commuting between his native Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
After finishing his recordings of Hans Erich Apostel's piano works, Moritz Ernst has just recorded
all of Karel Reiner's piano works for Deutschlandradio. The 2023/24 season saw him
performing both in North America and Asia, including live broadcasts from Vienna and TV
recordings for ARTE, as well as his debut with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
So far he has performed under leading conductors, such as Mario Venzago, Stefan Blunier, Dorian Wilson or Gabriel Feltz.
His experience as a musicologist has led to a collaboration with the publishers Schott and Boosey & Hawkes, for whom he recently edited the piano and organ works of Schoenberg pupil Norbertvon Hannenheim.
Moritz Ernst is an official member of Steinway Artists

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