BIOGRAPHY (ENGLISH)
The singer, pianist and composer Habib Benedikt Elias discovered already at the age of 12 the music of Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman and thereby his fascination for jazz music which accompanies him until today.
The free use of musical forms and elements, the improvising and the openness of jazz music to connect different stiles of music are the basis for Elias' projects.
Influences from the repertoire of the French Chanson, the Bossa Nova and the pop music flow into his interpretations and song compositions as well as his classical music studies (clarinet, opera singing), his experiences in film music composing and his interest in languages.
His first piano lessons he received at the age of eight, his first clarinet lesson at the age of 14, when he was 16 years old he had his first saxophone lesson.
Habib Elias studied clarinet at the Staatlichen Hochschule für Musik Trossingen (University of Music in Trossingen) (1992 - 1996), which was followed by singing classes with Ulrike Sonntag (1996 - 1998) and his studies in opera singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Saarbrücken (University of Music in Saarbrücken) (1997 – 2000).
Since 2001 he also works as a composer and arranger for filmmusic, amongst others for ARTE, ARD, ZDF and cinema, i.a. he composed the film music for „Elements of mine“ (First prize at the Moving Pictures Festival in Toronto, 2004), and participated in the composition from his brother Karim Sebastian Elias of the filmmusic for the award-winning cinema documentary "Rhythm is it" which received several awards (Bayrischer Filmpreis (Best documentary), German Critics' Prize, Deutscher Filmpreis (Best documentary), ECHO Klassik (Best DVD of the year)).
The versatility and flexibility of his voice in dialogue with his piano playing enable him to interpret both jazz songs and songs of various music styles with voice improvisations and open forms.
He arranges Chansons with sounds in which you find the allegories, pictorial descriptions or humorous tales of the song's lyrics. With Bossa Nova songs he tries to follow the tracks of its beauty and subtlety from the inspired cooperation between poets and composers like Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim. The fact that he sings today this repertoire in its original language Portuguese he owes to his wife, a philologist from Brazil.
Especially in his own compositions Habib Elias can combine his diverse musical experiences. Amongst others colours of Jazz harmony blend into moods that you associate with song compositions of classical music, or vocal improvisations meet compositional concepts from film music.
His stays in Berlin (2001 – 2006), Barcelona (2006 – 2008) and London (2008 – 2012) gave to him the opportunity to know very different facets of making music. Apart from English and German he sings also in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, which is not only related to his periods abroad but also to his joy of learning languages. He tries thereby to involve in his music the individual strength of each language to express emotions and stories.
Since 2012 Habib Benedikt Elias lives with his wife and their two children in Rottenburg am Neckar.
Solo concerts and performances as singer and pianist i.a. at the award ceremony of the television film festival in Baden Baden, at vernissages and in collaboration with authors at readings in Germany, Spain and England.
Performances as a singer with the program “Songs from the Movies” in a quartet with Martin Trostel (piano), Florian Dohrmann (bass), Felix Schrack / Dieter Schumacher (drums) at the “Jazz- und Klassiktage" in Tübingen, at the "Waldhorn" cinema in Rottenburg, at the theatre "Hammerschmiede" Rottenburg, at the "Rainbow Dance Factory" in Tübingen.
New, revised release of Solo album "Auf halbem Weg" (September 2024, on online platforms), with the support of the scholarship program from 2022 NEUSTART KULTUR.
Composition together with his brother Karim Sebastian Elias and singing of the song "Heaven" for the film "Faruk" (film music: K. S. Elias). The film received the international film criticism award, the Fipresci Jury Award as best film in the Berlinale Panorama section, (2024).
Online livestream concert at the theater "Lindenhof", Melchingen with the program "Songs from the Movies" in a quartet with Wolfgang Fischer (piano), Steffen Hollenweger (bass), Joachim Gröschel (drums). (2021).
Album release "Journeys" (on online platforms), (2021).
Performances in a jazz trio and quartet with Andrea Marcelli (drums), Jonathan Robinson (bass), (2003-2006).
Performamces withe the “Late Night Big Band” Rottenburg as Singer und pianist.
Performances with the program "Voice, Flute & Rhythm" with Martin Trostel (piano), Steffen Hollenweger (bass), Dieter Schumacher (drums), Bobby Baur (flute, sopranosax), i.a. at the Tübinger Jazz- und Klassiktagen
Composition, production and interpretation of the film music for the musical film "Elements of mine“ (TV channels Arte and NDR) with Ensemble members of the Schaubühne and of the Komische Oper Berlin, First Prize, Moving Pictures Festival of Dance on Film and Video (MopixAward 2004), Toronto VideoDance, 2004 International Thessaloniki Film Festival, Athen & Thessaloniki, DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL 2005, New York, DFA's 32nd Annual Festival 2005, New York.
Composition and recording of two Brazilian songs for the Hape Kerkeling Cinema movie “Samba in Mettmann“, Director: Angelo Colagrossi, (2003).
Composition and recording of the song "You've settled in my mind" for the television series "Wilde Engel" for the TV channel RTL,(2002).
Composition and recording of two Italian songs for the feature film „Liebe ist die beste Medizin“, Director: Hannu Salonen, TV channel ARD, (2002).
Documentary film „Rhythm is it“ about an education project with Sir Simon Rattle and The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Score: K.S.Elias, (2003).
10 episodes of the TV Series "Die Familiendetektivin", ZDF, Production: Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Ulli Baumann, (2014).
"In einem wilden Land", SAT1, Production: Two Oceans Production, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Rainer Matsutani, (2013).
"Beste Freundinnen", ZDF, Production: Relevant Film, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Thomas Jauch, (2013).
"Wer wenn nicht Du", ZDF, Musik: K.S.Elias, Regie: Ulli Baumann, (2013).
"Familie Sonntag auf Abwegen", ZDF, Musik: K.S.Elias, Produktion: Olga Film, Regie: Ulli Baumann, (2013).
"Ein Sommer in Amalfi", ZDF, Musik: K.S.Elias, Produktion: Colonia Media, Regie: Jorgo Papavassilio, (2013).
"Der Tag am See", ZDF, Musik: K.S.Elias, Regie: Ulli Baumann, (2012).
"Johanna und der Buschpilot, Der Weg nach Afrika", "Johanna und der Buschpilot, Die Legende der Kraniche ", ZDF, Production: Teamworx, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Ulli Baumann, (2012).
"Tatort – Ihr Kinderlein kommet", WDR, Production: Colonia Media, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Thomas Jauch, (2012).
"Ein Sommer in Paris", ZDF, Production: Teamworx, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Jorgo Papavassilio, (2011).
"Tatort - Kinderland", MDR, Production: Saxonia, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Thomas Jauch, (2011).
"Wilde Wellen", ZDF, Production: Bavaria, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Ulli Baumann, 4 episodes, (2011).
"Der Kriminalist", ZDF, Production: Monaco Film, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Hannu Salonen, Folge 39-41, (2011).
"Die Samenhändlerin", ZDF, Production: Bavaria, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Michael Keusch, (2011).
"Otto's Eleven" Cinema: (Verleih: Warner Bros.), Production: TransWaalFilm, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Sven Unterwaldt, (2010).
"Gerdas Schweigen", Cinema: (Verleih: Piffl Medien), Production: Zeitsprung, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Britta Wauer, (2010), Documentary, CD release at Alhambra Records, Award: "Beste Filmmusik", Kinofest Lünen.
"Tatort" from Berlin with Dominik Raake and Jürgen Vogel, Music: K.S.Elias, Director: Hannu Salonen, (TV channel ARD), (2003).
Television serie “Hinter Gittern” (episodes 177 – 332), Music: K.S.Elias, produced by Grundy Ufa for the TV channel RTL, (2001 - 2003).
Education
1997 - 2000
Studies of opera and solo singing with Prof. Raimund Gilvan-Cartwright at the University of Music Saarland (Hochschule für Musik Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany
1996 -1998
Classical singing lessons with Ulrike Sonntag, Germany
1991 – 1996
Studies of clarinet with Prof. Waldemar Wandel (Consortium Classicum) at the University of Music in Trossingen (Hochschule für Musik Trossingen), Germany, Degree in 1996
Participation in projects and master classes
Radio Recordings (Saarland Radio) at the program “Performances of students of the University of Saarland”
Participation at a course of corporal expression and opera acting with Professor Claudio de Maglio, (Director of the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Udine, Italy)
University-entrance diploma with principal subjects Music and French, 1989
First piano lessons at the age of 8, first clarinet lessons with Karl Singer at the age of 14, saxophone lessons with Klaus Kreczmarsky, 1986 – 1989, Master classes of clarinet with Prof. Waldemar Wandel, Greece, 1994/1995, with Prof. Eduard Brunner, Switzerland, 1996