Artists

Biography:

René Schiffer was born in the northern part of the Dukedom of Brabant, in Bach’s era part of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. He studied in Amsterdam with Anner Bijlsma, then specialized in historical performance with Jaap ter Linden. At Oberlin College, he studied the viola da gamba with Catherina Meints, to whom he dedicated his Concerto for Two Viols (under
the name Katharina von Mainz).

Mr. Schiffer performed with groups including La Petite Bande, Ensemble Il Gardellino; Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Les Musiciens du Louvre, the Netherlands Bach Society and occasionally with Concerto Armonico and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He has been principal cellist for Apollo’s Fire since its founding in 1992. He has played recitals and solo performances with orchestras in Budapest, Paris, Versailles, Utrecht, Brôme (‘there’s nothing wrong with playing Uccellini in Brome’), Chautauqua, Tanglewood,
Ravinia, and Grandchamp. On two occasions he asked the way to Carnegie Hall on his way to perform, but did not have the good fortune to get the answer Practice!

Schiffer has taught at Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland Institute of Music, at Oberlin, and
as guest at several colleges over the United States, including Duke, Dartmouth, and Penn State.
He has given talks about music in Toledo and in Cleveland for Apollo’s Fire’s subscription
series.

To date, Schiffer has mastered the cello, the historical cello, the bass viol, the (French) bass violin, the violoncello piccolo in at least three different tunings, and recently dabbled at the G-violone, with G-strings that were different from what he expected them to be. I think he shares a Grammy Award with Apollo’s Fire’s musicians and the incomparable Karim Sulayman.
He is also very good at declaiming and driving really long distances.

As composer Schiffer, sometimes under names like René Antoine Duchiffre, Renato Marini, Captain Hummus and Johann Sebastian Offenschiffer, can be heard on Apollo’s Fire’s Vivaldi & Friends CD, where his Tango Concerto is featured. A video of the tango of that concerto can also be enjoyed on You Tube. His Clorinda Sonata and his Jewish Rhapsodies (Ovos, Kaddish and
Olenu) also feature on that channel. Among works that are awaiting recording are his Variations on themes from Ortiz’ Tratado, a set of Abel arrangements for 5-string cello and 7-string gamba, and his Christmas Medley. He wrote two “Bach suites”: the 7th suite in D, BMW 1013 (in the 1990s) and the more recent Kronstadter Partita, BMW 17465.

Schiffer recently purchased a historical bow from Stephen Marvin. With his beloved wife Marie,
he resides in Chagrin Falls.