Heidi Bayer (born 1987) is a trumpeter, composer and bandleader based in Cologne. Since 2018, she has been working on her own artistic projects, focusing primarily on band sound, counterpoint and musical forms.
In 2020, her duo Bayer//Scobel won the Folkwang Jazz Prize, and the debut album of her quartet Virtual Leak was released. In 2022, she was nominated for the German Jazz Award in the brass instruments category, and shortly afterwards released her second album as bandleader with her international quintet, KORSH. The album features the composition "Cookie Dough", which won the German Jazz Award in the "Composition of the Year" category in 2023. Since the album's release, the quintet has performed virtually at the Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York City. She is also active in sidewoman projects ranging from big bands to improvised music.
She has performed as a soloist on over 20 albums in recent years, including with Shannon Barnett's "Wolves & Mirrors", the Janning Trumann Nonett and the Subway Jazz Orchestra.
Since 2019, she has been a lecturer in jazz trumpet and ensemble conducting at various universities (University of Oldenburg, HfMDK Stuttgart and HfMDK Mannheim), and since 2023, she has been a full-time lecturer in ensemble conducting at the Cologne University of Music and Dance.
What are you particularly looking forward to in your new position?
"I'm most looking forward to supporting students in their personal and musical development, and experiencing the many small and large interpersonal moments that this entails. I'm also looking forward to rediscovering the city! That is always exciting and enriching.
What impression do you have of our music academy?
I haven't had the opportunity to get to know Nuremberg University of Music in depth yet, but from the little I've seen, I've found the staff and students to be very friendly and open-minded. I particularly enjoyed the parent-child room, which I found very valuable during my audition. Unfortunately, this is not yet standard at conservatoires.
What are your goals and visions for your professorship?
From my own experience and conversations with colleagues and students, I know that an artistic degree programme can bring challenges beyond the subject matter, despite all the enriching and inspiring experiences. Pressure to perform, outdated structures, an imbalanced gender ratio, traditional teaching methods and uncertain career prospects can cause doubt and negatively impact learning. I see great potential for change here, and it is important to me in my new role to help improve study conditions and create a supportive, open learning environment that promotes positive development and visibility of our scene.
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