SCHILLER

Schiller – The Biography
“My name is Christopher von Deylen – and I am Schiller.” It doesn’t take more than ten words. The fans cheer. At some point, roughly in the middle of every Schiller concert, these ten words are spoken. The man stating them smiles briefly at the
audience, then immerses himself again in his unusual sound-worlds where he compresses into music people’s dreams and hopes, the atmospheres of our time, yes the vibrations of the world. Inspired by electro classics like Tangerine Dream,
Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre, von Deylen creates visionary sounds that are way ahead of their time, because, with longing, they have absorbed past and present.

New electronic music, enthusiastically celebrated by fans and the press as “Global Pop.” “Music that moves one really deep inside,” is what Mike Oldfield said about von Deylen’s compositions. The musician, composer and producer didn’t choose the name Schiller by accident.

In 1998, the single “Glockenspiel” was on the table, a musical adaptation.
Christopher von Deylen had just read “Die Glocke” (“The Bell”) by Friedrich Schiller and from now on released his albums under the poet’s name.

Success and Prizes
Schiller’s “Glockenspiel” stormed the charts, the ensuing albums “Zeitgeist,” “Weltreise (Voyage)” “Leben (Life),” “Tag und Nacht (day & night)” and “Sehnsucht (Desire)” were released in more than 26 countries and celebrated major successes. Schiller was awarded 6 gold records, 2 gold DVDs, 2 platinum records, received the 2002 Echo-Award®, the DVD Champion Award for best music DVD and the Opus Award for best sound design.

Ten Years Schiller and Guests
2008 marked ten years of Schiller. At the beginning, Schiller is still an electronically oriented project with dance elements, but the debut album “Zeitgeist” already catches the scene’s attention and shows that von Deylen rigorously pursues new musical directions. First, he integrates spoken quotes into his music. “I love the spoken word, sometimes even more than singing.” The first speakers (from the TV mystery series “Die Drei ???”), are heroes from his childhood days, later actors including the voices from the mystery radio play series “Gabriel Burns” speak the
sudden interjections typical for Schiller. Von Deylen breaks with almost all of the established rules in the music business and
nevertheless or exactly for that reason is successful. Schiller does not have a front man who spurs on the masses, there is no superstar who smiles into the cameras. Withdrawn, disciplined and concentrated, the musician works in his Berlin studio.
Many Schiller compositions are strictly instrumental – nothing for same-sounding everyday radio music. Other pieces like the Schiller hits “I feel you” and “Dream of you” have such powerful voices and are so catchy that even days after first hearing
them one sings along. Christopher von Deylen does not let anyone dictate to him what is supposedly suitable for the market. “I make music which I myself like to hear and would buy.”

World Stars Love Schiller
World stars like Mike Oldfield, Lang Lang, Colbie Caillat or Sarah Brightmann love the musician’s self-confident, but also reserved and quiet manner. They haven’t been the only well-known guest musicians the sound visionary has been able to attract for his
productions. Some of the many others include September, Ana Torroja (Mecano) Tarja Turunen (ex-front woman of the Finnish cult band Nightwish), Gary Wallis, the live drummer from Pink Floyd, or Tissy Thiers, who in the 1980s celebrated
international success with Michael Cretu and today as bassist is a permanent member of Schiller’s live band. These ever-recurring surprising collaborations with major names in music from all over the world make Schiller a unique project in both the national and international music world.

Released in February 2008, the 5th Schiller-album “Sehnsucht (Desire)” shot straight to #1 of the album sales charts of Germany and several other countries and finally reached platinum status in Germany.The following live-tour “Sehnsucht-Live” through 15 german cities was completely sold out.

In 2010 SCHILLER came back with his latest album “Atemlos” (“Breathless”) which entered the German sales charts at #2 and reached also gold status in Germany and in Poland. On the “Atemlos”-live-tour Schiller’s german audience could see him in Germany’s biggest arenas with a breathtaking audio visual extravaganza and an amazing live band. The concert in Hamburg’s O2 Arena in front of 8.000 people has been recorded for the live-dvd/blue Ray “Atemlos-live” (to be released Nov 2010).