BIOGRAPHY
Born in 1960 in Oschersleben / Bode, Sachsen Anhalt.
1975 Begins to teach himself the guitar at the age of 15.
1981 Moves to (East) Berlin, preparation for music studies, lessons with Jürgen Kliem (guitar) and Ortwin Walter (music theory / ear training).
1982 - 1984 passes the entrance examination for the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin but is refused a place. Casual jobs at the post office and the public library.
1984 onwards: musician and small part actor (Pantomime Ensemble Deutsches Theater, Berlin and GDR television).
1986 turns to the classical guitar. Introduced by Gert Marx to Martin Jacob, the son of the famous luthier Richard Jacob "Weißgerber". A growing and continuing fascination for ‚Weissgerber’ guitars follows these first encounters with the luthier and instruments from the ‚Weissgerber’ workshop.
1987 - 1989 preparatory guitar lessons with Rosemarie Ecke.
1989 entrance examination for professional classical guitar at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin.
1990 - 1994 music studies with Prof. Thomas Offermann.
1994 Graduates with Diploma.
199 - 1999 Various jobs with cultural projects eg. "Jugend Medien Service"; stage set designer at the "Jugendbühne Stückwerk".
1996 Founding of the band "Reality Bytes" (the repertoire consists mainly of self-written and composed songs)
1999 onwards: cooperation with the integrative theater group "RambaZamba", musical involvement until 2012 in several productions and gala programs, plus various guest appearances at home and abroad.
2001 Starts systematically researching the life and work of Richard Jacob, and establishes a ‚Weissgerber’ guitar collection and register of ‚Weissgerber’ works (WGWV).
2001 - 2010 employee at the guitar shop ‚Wolf & Lehmann’, Berlin. Gains valuable experience relating to the guitar, especially regarding its construction and technical characteristics.
2002 Construction of a classical guitar in the workshop of Andreas Krüger, Bielefeld.
2002 onwards: collaboration with singer Christine Lichtenberg (mezzo-soprano).
2003 - 2009 Organization of concerts and events with "Weissgerber" guitars in Berlin. First published articles and lectures on Richard Jacob and the "Weissgerber" workshop.
2007 Beginning of close cooperation with the Museum of Musical Instruments in Markneukirchen. First concert on the "Weissgerber" guitars owned by the museum.
2008 CD publication "Die Weißgerber-Gitarren des Musikinstrumenten-Museums Markneukirchen" (The Weissgerber guitars of the Museum of Musical Instruments in Markneukirchen). Starts working on his "Weissgerber" book.
2010 onwards: freelancer as a musician and instrumental teacher.
2010 Co-organizer of the "Weissgerber Tage Markneukirchen" to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Richard Jacob with several concerts and lectures. Curator of the exhibition of sixty "Weissgerber" guitars.
2010 participation in the documentary "Ohne meine Tulpe geh´ ich irre" (Without my tulip I go insane) by Christian Ziewer (Richard Jacob and the 2010 "Weissgerber" exhibition in Markneukirchen).
2011 publication of the monograph "WEISSGERBER – Gitarren von / Guitars by Richard Jacob".
2011 onwards: increasing dedication to the exploration of 19th century guitar making in Vogtland, Saxony, and the establishment of a private collection of 19th and early 20th century Vogtland guitars.
2012 onwards: ongoing work on a guitar catalogue for of the Museum of Musical Instruments in Markneukirchen.
2014 onwards: guest lecturer for historical Vogtland guitar making and "Weissgerber" guitars at the course of study Musical Instrument Making Markneukirchen, West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau – Faculty of Applied Arts Schneeberg.
2021 onwards: preparation of a publication with Prof. Andreas Michel on Saxon-Vogtland guitar making in the 19th century.
2023 publication of the revised 2nd edition of the "WEISSGERBER" monograph.
Christof Hanusch lives and works as a freelance musician and guitar teacher in Berlin.
