Walter-Michael Vollhardt started his musical career as a cello soloist.
While studying at Boston University he became winner of the Concerto-Aria Competition.
As a result he was able to play his American debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Later on he performed with the Berlin Radio Orchestra, the Czech National Symphony, the Rumanian National Symphony, the National Orchestra of Brazil, the Thailand Philharmonic and other orchestras.
Recitals brought him to the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia and many other European countries where he also gave master classes.
Michael Vollhardt started his conducting career by founding the Orchestra of the Hamburg Conservatory where he taught cello and chamber music in the early 80’s.
Soon he was invited as guest conductor from varies professional orchestras.
After mooving to Freiburg he founded the Sinfonietta of Southern Germany. With this orchestra consisting of young musicians from all over the world he developed programs such as portraits of Sibelius’s, Mozart’s, or Reger’s symphonic work.
2002 he became Music Director of the Ortenau Orchestra in Offenburg, Germany.
He conducted Yo Yo Ma, Antonio Meneses, Heinrich Schiff, Walter Despaj, Boris Pergamentschikov and David Geringas in the First Perormance of “Meeting for Six” by the Israelian contemporary composer Noam Sheriff.
Michael Vollhardt was invited by the German Music Council to work with the National Symphony Orchestra of Nicaragua and also conducted the Central American Symphony Orchestra at the Central American Music Festival in Managua.
In Italy he conducted at the Music Festivals of Positano and Orvieto.
He is a regular guest in Brasil where he conducts orchestras in Rio de Janeiro, Belem, Joao Pessoa, Recife and Fortaleza.
He made his Asian debut with the Bombay Chamber Orchestra in Mumbai and conducted “Carmen” as first opera performance at the Operabuja Festival in Nigeria.
