The Thomaskantor is the musical director of the Thomanerchor

Thomanerchor

The Thomanerchor is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys from 9 to 18 years of age...

 in Leipzig

Leipzig

Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...

, founded in 1212. He is appointed by Leipzig's city council and his duties are to lead the weekly services called Motette, Sunday services and other services in the Thomaskirche, also to conduct recordings and tours.

Johann Sebastian Bach was the most famous Thomaskantor, from 1723 to 1750. He was responsible for music at the four major churches in Leipzig. The post's duties extended beyond music; he and his predecessors had for instance also to teach Latin.

	Name	Term	Notes
	Georg Rhau Georg Rhau Georg Rhau was a German publisher and composer. He was one of the most significant music printers in Germany in the first half of the 16th century, during the early period of the Protestant Reformation... born circa 1488 in Eisfeld died 6 August 1548 in Wittenberg	1518–1520
	Johannes Galliculus Johannes Galliculus Johannes Galliculus was a German music theorist and composer.He was active ca. 1520 in Leipzig. He was the cantor of the Thomanerchor from 1520 to 1525.-Works:... born circa 1490 in Dresden died circa 1550 in Leipzig	1520–1525
	Valerian Hüffeler	1526–1530
	Johannes Hermann born 1515 in Zittau died 22 April 1593 in Freiberg	1531–1536
	Wolfgang Jünger born circa 1517 in Sayda died 4 March 1564 in Großschirma	1536–1539
	Johannes Bruckner	1539–1540
	Ulrich Lange died 1549 in Leipzig	1540–1549
	Wolfgang Figulus born circa 1525 in Naumburg (Saale) died 1589 in Meißen	1549–1551
	Melchior Heger born in Brüx (today Most)	1553–1564
	Valentin Otto born 1529 in Markkleeberg died April 1594	1564–1594
	Sethus Calvisius Sethus Calvisius Sethus Calvisius or Setho Calvisio, originally Seth Kalwitz was a German music theorist, composer, chronologer, astronomer, and teacher of the late Renaissance.... born 21. Februar 1556 in Gorsleben died 24 November 1615 in Leipzig	1594–1615
	Johann Hermann Schein born 20 January 1586 in Grünhain died 19 November 1630 in Leipzig	1615–1630
	Tobias Michael Tobias Michael Tobias Michael was a German composer and kantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. He updated the church's hymnal in 1645... born 13 June 1592 in Dresden died 26 June 1657 in Leipzig	1631–1657
	Sebastian Knüpfer Sebastian Knüpfer Sebastian Knüpfer was a German composer. He was the cantor of the Thomanerchor in Leipzig from 1657 to 1676, and director of the city’s music.-Life:... born 6 September 1633 in Asch died 10 October 1676 in Leipzig	1657–1676
	Johann Schelle Johann Schelle Johann Schelle was a German baroque composer.Schelle was born in Geising and died in Leipzig. He was the cantor of the Thomanerchor from 1677 to 1701.... born 6 September 1648 in Geising died 10 March 1701 in Leipzig	1677–1701
	Johann Kuhnau Johann Kuhnau Johann Kuhnau was a German composer, organist and harpsichordist.-Biography :Kuhnau was born in Geising, Saxony. He grew up in a religious Lutheran family. At age nine, he auditioned successfully for the Kreuzschule in Dresden... born 6 April 1660 in Geising died 5 June 1722 in Leipzig	1701–1722
	Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity... born 21 March 1685 in Eisenach died 28 July 1750 in Leipzig	1723–1750
	Johann Gottlob Harrer Johann Gottlob Harrer Johann Gottlob Harrer was a German composer and choir leader.-Life:Harrer studied music in Leipzig and Italy... born 1703 in Görlitz; died 9 July 1755 in Karlsbad	1750–1755
	Johann Friedrich Doles Johann Friedrich Doles Johann Friedrich Doles was a German composer and pupil of J.S. Bach.Doles was born in Steinbach-Hallenberg. He attended the University of Leipzig... born 23 April 1715 in Steinbach-Hallenberg died 8 February 1797 in Leipzig	1756–1789
	Johann Adam Hiller born 25 December 1728 in Wendisch-Ossig (today Osiek Łużycki) bei Görlitz died 16 June 1804 in Leipzig	1789–1801	From 1781 to 1785 Gewandhauskapellmeister in Leipzig.
	August Eberhard Müller August Eberhard Müller August Eberhard Müller was a German composer, organist and choir leader.-Life:Trained by his organist father, he made his first public performance aged eight. He then studied under Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach at Bückeburg, where Müller served as organist at the Ulrichskirche until 1788... born 13 December 1767 in Northeim died 3 December 1817 in Weimar	1801–1810	From 1810 to 1817 Großherzoglich-Sächsischer Hofkapellmeister in Weimar.
	Johann Gottfried Schicht Johann Gottfried Schicht Johann Gottfried Schicht was a German composer and conductor.He was the conductor of the Gewandhausorchester from 1785 to 1810, and then the cantor of the Thomanerchor until 1823.... born 29 September 1753 in Reichenau (Saxony) died 16 February 1823 in Leipzig	1810–1823
	Christian Theodor Weinlig Christian Theodor Weinlig Christian Theodor Weinlig was a German music teacher, composer, and choir conductor in Dresden and Leipzig.... born 25 July 1780 in Dresden died 7 March 1842 in Leipzig	1823–1842	From 1814 to 1817 Kreuzkantor in Dresden.
	Moritz Hauptmann Moritz Hauptmann Moritz Hauptmann , was a German music theorist, teacher and composer.Hauptmann was born in Dresden, and studied violin under Scholz, piano under Franz Lanska, composition under Grosse and Francesco Morlacchi,... born 13 October 1792 in Dresden died 3 January 1868 in Leipzig	1842–1868
	Ernst Friedrich Richter born 24 October 1808 in Großschönau (Lausitz) died 9 April 1879 in Leipzig	1868–1879
	Wilhelm Rust Wilhelm Rust Wilhelm Rust was a German musicologist and composer. He is most noted today for his substantial contributions to the Bach Gesellschaft edition of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach.... born 15 August 1822 in Dessau died 2 May 1892 in Leipzig	1880–1892
	Gustav Schreck Gustav Schreck Gustav Ernst Schreck was a German composer and music educator. He was the cantor of the Thomanerchor from 1893 to 1918.-External links:... born 8 September 1849 in Zeulenroda died 22 January 1918 in Leipzig	1893–1918
	Karl Straube Karl Straube Montgomery Rufus Karl/Carl Siegfried Straube was a German church musician , organist, and choral conductor, famous above all for championing the abundant organ music of Max Reger. He studied organ under Heinrich Reimann in Berlin from 1894 to 1897 and became a widely respected concert organist... born 6 January 1873 in Berlin died 27 April 1950 in Leipzig	1918–1939
	Günther Ramin Günther Ramin Günther Werner Hans Ramín was an influential German organist, conductor, composer and pedagogue in the first half of the 20th century.... born 15 October 1898 in Karlsruhe died 27 February 1956 in Leipzig	1939–1956
	Kurt Thomas Kurt Thomas (composer) Kurt Thomas was a German composer, conductor and music educator.He was born in Tönning and died in Bad Oeynhausen.... born 25 May 1904 in Tönning died 31 March 1973 in Bad Oeynhausen	1957–1960
	Erhard Mauersberger Erhard Mauersberger Erhard Mauersberger was a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor as the fourteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach... born 29 December 1903 in Mauersberg bei Marienberg died 11 December 1982 in Leipzig	1961–1972
	Hans-Joachim Rotzsch Hans-Joachim Rotzsch Hans-Joachim Rotzsch is a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor from 1972 until 1991 as the fifteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach. He is also a tenor and an academic.- Biography :... born 25 April 1929 in Leipzig	1972–1991
	Georg Christoph Biller Georg Christoph Biller Georg Christoph Biller is a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor since 1992 as the sixteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach... born 20 September 1955 in Nebra (Unstrut)	seit 1992

External links

• Information on the Thomaskantor on BAM-Portal