Theo Bleckmann was born on 28 May 1966 in Dortmund, West Germany. He grew up appreciating both traditional music from his native Germany as well as American popular music. He trained as an ice dancer in Germany, and was a junior champion before deciding to pursue a career in music. In 1989 he moved to New York City after meeting legendary jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan at a workshop in Graz (Austria). She remains an influential mentor and colleague to this day. In 2005 he became an American citizen.
Starting in 1992, he’s released more than a dozen albums, with music ranging from jazz to electronically processed voice experiments. In 2011, he released the album Hello Earth! – The Music Of Kate Bush.
His work has been recognized with several awards. This included a Grammy Nomination in 2010 for the best ‘Classical Crossover Album’. He also received grants from Arts International, the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art, New York Foundation for the Arts, Meet The Composer and the Council on Humanities, PA.
