“ … The F minor Sonata op. 120/1 [Brahms] in particular does not often come across with such immediacy and so remote from weary late-work sentimentality (…) Manz and Meyer made the aphoristically abbreviated “moments in sound” of the Brahms-inspired modern Viennese school [Berg] seem like major musical events.”
Kieler Nachrichten, November 11, 2008
“Sebastian Manz was the star of the evening … a clarinettist who took the audience's breath away. Yes, the 22-year-old Sebastian Manz, who took first prize in the demanding ARD Music Competition, was the undisputed star of the evening. He has the personality combined with the musicality, and his (breath) technique is quite striking. What flawless tone, rich in colour, full even at the fastest speeds and in the highest registers. But that alone, as Sebastian Manz knows full well, would never do justice to Mozart's unique clarinet concerto. And so his listeners had every reason to be amazed at an interpretation that revealed every urge of Mozart's soul. No repeat was like another, articulation and phrasing were imaginatively presented, small improvisational ornaments added. Everything flowed and sounded wonderfully natural.
Südwestpresse, October 7, 2008
“ … hopeful ray of light was Sebastian Manz. His tone, even in 'piano', was always open and never breathy, in wonderful correspondence with his subtle phrasing. The Klangrede that is so vitally important in Mozart, an 'oratory in sound' bringing the melodic line to life, was intelligently woven into the musical flow.”
Stuttgarter Nachrichten, October 6, 2008
“Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's famous Clarinet Concerto, his very last solo concerto, gave Sebastian Manz the opportunity to demonstrate to everyone in the hall just why he had won this year's ARD Music Competition in Munich. (…) With rounded, warm tone, now full-bodied and brilliant, now sweet and elegant, Manz made his clarinet sing and gave full voice to the various timbres and registers of his instrument. His well-modelled, mellow melodic line brought to mind the words of Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart, who once heard in the clarinet the 'tone of the sensitive heart'.”
Esslinger Zeitung, October 6, 2008
“ … the German clarinettist Sebastian Manz set out in his turn to convince the Basel audience of his abilities in Mozart's famous Clarinet Concerto K622, a task speedily accomplished by this pupil of Sabine Meyer. Besides his virtuoso skills, he proved his musical sensibilities above all with the sensitive pianissimo in the reprise of the Adagio, where he turned the oft-heard work into a true auditory revelation.”
Basler Zeitung, September 29, 2008
“ … Sebastian Manz played Mozart's Clarinet Concerto (K622), and it proved an impressive and moving experience. The star pupil of Sabine Meyer is already fully fledged at 22; listening to him, one forms the impression that, in a word, he has thought through every note of his part, when the different ways in which he forms his tone are so amazingly varied. The orchestra readily responded to his initiatives, based on an impressive grasp of the nature of music. Long, enthusiastic applause followed.”
Badische Zeitung, September 29, 2008
“ … [in the prizewinners' concert] Manz shaped up to the clarinet's 'all-time hit', Mozart's A major Concerto. He made his euphonious basset clarinet 'sing' wonderfully, coloured and modelled notes blown as soft as butter and fascinated us with weightlessness in the runs, the heartfelt Adagio cantilenas and the cheeky Rondo.”
Münchner Merkur, September 22, 2008
“ … The 22-year-old Sebastian Manz was not only the first for 40 years in the history of the competition to win a first prize in the clarinet category, he also secured four special prizes, among them the audience prize. Why, was obvious in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto: technically flawless and after initial smoothness presented as movingly beautiful music, this student of Sabine Meyer brought a convincing stage presence to the occasion.”
Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, September 22, 2008
Debut at the Salzburg Festival. Sebastian Manz is a chamber-music partner of Christiane Karg, Renaud Capuçon, Katja Lämmermann, Antoine Tamestit, Clemens Hagen, Alois Posch, Albrecht Mayer, Magali Mosnier, Herbert Schuch, Gereon Kleiner, Leo Schmidinger and Martin Grubinger. Austrian radio station ORF 2 and the 3sat TV channel broadcast the opening concert at 11 am.
It has just been announced that Sebastian Manz will receive the 2011 ECHO Klassik award in the category “Newcomer of the Year”.
There has been released the first recording of the Duo Riul at the label GENUIN Classics. Sebastian Manz plays together with his duo partner, pianist Martin Klett, works by Brahms, Berg, Debussy, Lutoslawsky and Yun.
Sebastian Manz makes his first appearance with ARD prizewinners Ramón Ortega Quero (oboe), Marc Trenel (bassoon) and David Alonso (horn) at concerts in Polling and Munich. The piano part in the Mozart and Beethoven quintets is being played by Herbert Schuch.
On September 25, Sebastian Manz plays for the first time in his new position as solo clarinettist with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra of the SWR broadcasting station.
Another important debut, this time at the Konzerthaus in Vienna. Sebastian Manz is playing Nielsen's Clarinet Concerto with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the concerto that won him the 57th ARD International Music Competition.
Sebastian Manz debuts with Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in the Zurich Tonhalle and takes his audience by storm. The North West German Philharmonic thrills under its new Principal Conductor Eugene Tzigane.
„ … Als Höhepunkt des ersten Teils präsentierte Klarinettist Sebastian Manz das Konzert für Klarinette und Orchester in B-Dur von Ignaz Pleyel. Mit seinem beeindruckend virtuosen Spiel fesselte er die Zuhörer …”
Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung WAZ, 31.01.2009