SCHILLER

My name is Christopher von Deylen and I am Schiller. It doesn’t take more than ten words. The fans cheer. At some point, roughly in the middle of every Schiller concert, these ten words are spoken. The man stating them smiles briefly at the audience, then immerses himself again in his unusual sound-worlds where he compresses into music people’s dreams and hopes, the atmospheres of our time, yes the vibrations of the world. Inspired by electro classics like Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre, von Deylen creates visionary sounds that are way ahead of their time, because, with longing, they have absorbed past and present. New electronic music, enthusiastically celebrated by fans and the press as Global Pop. Music that moves one really deep inside, is what Mike Oldfield said about von Deylen’s compositions.

Success & Prizes

Schiller’s Glockenspiel stormed the charts, the ensuing albums Zeitgeist, Voyage, Life, Day and Night and Desire were released in more than 26 countries and celebrated major successes. Schiller was awarded five gold and several platinum-records, received the Echo-Award®, the DVD Champion Award for best music DVD and the Opus Award for best sound design. Countless sold-out live tours in Europe. Prior to this, Schiller already performed upon invitation from Federal President Johannes Rau in Bellevue Castle and gave a concert in the Gehry building at Brandenburg Gate. Abroad, with Schiller the sound visionary performed upon invitation from Depeche Mode in Athens in front of 25,000 fans and also upon invitation from the Goethe-Institut in Kiev.

New Directions

Musically, von Deylen always pursues new directions. He wrote the music for the film Gate to Heaven by Wim Wenders’ student Veit Helmer. After Sinéad O’Connor and Clannad-voice Moya Brennan, the rockers Rammstein put their single Ohne Dich in von Deylen’s hands. Together with Harald Blüchel (Cosmic Baby) he inaugurated the bi polar project. Inspired by modern music composers like Eric Satie, Michael Nyman, Philip Glass and George Gerschwin, the duo decided to do a strictly instrumental album, which earned them a performance at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival. With so many projects, von Deylen let himself take two breaks from music. And because he always enjoys the pursuit of tranquility, but doesn’t trust standstill, he got in his old-timer and drove thousands of kilometers through the world. In 2000, from London to Peking, then in 2006 from Berlin to Calcutta. Two trips, which not only allowed him to recharge his batteries, but also inspired him musically.

SCHILLER & Guests

At the beginning, Schiller is still an electronically oriented project with dance elements, but the debut album Zeitgeist already catches the scene’s attention and shows that von Deylen rigorously pursues new musical directions. First, he integrates spoken quotes into his music. I love the spoken word, sometimes even more than singing. Von Deylen breaks with almost all of the established rules in the music business and nevertheless or exactly for that reason is successful. Schiller does not have a front man who spurs on the masses, there is no superstar who smiles into the cameras. Withdrawn, disciplined and concentrated, the musician works in his Berlin studio. Many Schiller compositions are strictly instrumental nothing for same-sounding everyday radio music. Other pieces like the Schiller hits I feel you and Dream of you have such powerful voices and are so catchy that even days after first hearing them one sings along. Christopher von Deylen does not let anyone dictate to him what is supposedly suitable for the market. I make music which I myself like to hear and would buy.

SCHILLER LIVE

Schiller is well known for brilliant live shows. Unique amalgamations of light, sound, and stage technology. Every Schiller concert is a special live experience for which Christopher von Deylen rearranges his tracks and invites exciting guest artists. Countless sold-out live-performances and special events manifested Schiller's remarkable live-reputation. A true visual extravaganza, every Schiller-concert is presented in award-winning surround-sound - the audience is in the middle of a breathtaking world of sound. Tens of thousands of music-friends from all over the world enjoyed a Schiller-concert since 2001, the year of von Deylen's first live-appearance.

World Stars Love SCHILLER

World stars like Lang Lang, Colbie Caillat, Mike Oldfield or Sarah Brightmann love the musician’s self-confident, but also reserved and quiet manner. They haven’t been the only well-known guest musicians the sound visionary has been able to attract for his productions. Some of the many others include indonesian-french artist Anggun, Kim Sanders, Moya Brennan of ireland's Clannad, Tarja Turunen (former singer of Finnish cult band Nightwish) and Peter Heppner of Wolfsheim. These ever-recurring surprising collaborations with major names in music from all over the world make Schiller a unique project in both the national and international music world.