Detlev Bork has been praised by the international press as an innovative and brilliant musician. He has received various awards, including the ‘Best Classical Musician Award’.
The grandson of a distinguished pianist, Detlev Bork grew up in a musical atmosphere, studying the piano from an early age and singing in the ‘Kieler Knabenchor’ (Boys-Choir of Kiel). At the age of eleven he first started with the flamenco guitar, later adding the classical guitar. While still at school, he attracted attention with first recitals, and this was followed by studying classical guitar at the MHS Cologne, Aachen department with Tadashi Sasaki, as well as operatic singing with Margarete van den Eynden and Klaus-Jürgen Küper. In 1992 he received a scholarship and spent the following years studying in London with Carlos Bonell. Master classes with José Tomas, Alberto Ponce, Luise Walker, Eduardo Fernandez, Abel Carlevaro and others completed his guitar training.
At the same time he continued to devote himself to the flamenco guitar and completed his studies with the famous flamenco guitarist Andrés Batista in Madrid, as well as with José Luis Postigo, Luis Maravilla, Felix de Utrera and others. He accompanied well-known flamenco dancers and singers such as Lelita de Cadiz, José de la Vega, Maria José and Antonio Romero and is an honorary member of the Peña Flamenca of Merengue de Cordoba.
Since the early 1990s, Detlev Bork has been giving concerts as a soloist, in chamber music formations or with orchestras. Concert invitations from all over Europe, Israel, the USA, Canada, Central and South America followed. . His successful London debut was followed by acclaimed performances in Paris, Vienna, Madrid, Toronto and many other cities. CD recordings for various labels as well as radio and television appearances in several countries testify to a lively artistic activity.
He worked with various ensembles and has repeatedly been solo guitarist at the ‘Deutsches Staatsballett Berlin’ (German National Ballet Berlin).
Composers such as Jens Joneleit, Frank Wallace, Jan Lang, Jaume Torrent, Roland Chadwick, Vincent Lindsey-Clark and Siegfried Steinkogler have dedicated their works to him and his homage project for Benjamin Britten’s 100th birthday was funded by the International Britten-Pears Foundation and received international attention.
Since 2013 he has been a visiting professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.