Mike Herting

As a pianist, composer, arranger and producer Mike Herting has been active in Germany since the early 80s. He was the founder of the ambitious jazz-rock group "Headband" and was a member of the Cologne trio "Härte 10", an experimental funk rock formation.

His collaboration with the American alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano began in 1982 and continued for almost 25 years. Mike Herting is a leader in the field of cross-cultural music events. Composition, arrangement, direction and production at the highest level, as well as his many years of involvement with Indian and African music are his skills, which combine in his programs to create unique events.

Programs with the WDR Big Band and Indian musicians such as U.Srinivas, but also the collaboration with Wolfgang Niedecken in CD productions and large concerts, collaborations with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bremen Chamber Philharmonic, NDR Big Band and the WDR Radio Orchestra as well as his curatorial work at the Ruhrtriennale with artists such as R.A. Ramamani, Mory Kante and Dhafer Youssef are examples of his wealth of ideas as well as their inspiring implementation. The successful India tour of the Federal Jazz Orchestra with the Karnataka College of Percussion under his direction and initiation as well as a tour of West Africa in 2013 follow the same path.

In 2015 the intercultural mega-event "Sai Symphony" a composition for orchestra, choir and thirteen soloists from India, Africa and Europe will be performed in India for the first time, followed by concerts in Germany and China in 2017.

After tours in India and West Africa in 2018 Mike founded the concert series "Atelier des Cultures". The Mauritanian singer Cheickh Lehbiadh and the fantastic Indian flutist Shashank and guitarist Paul Shigihara are his partners in the first performances.