“Maximilian Leinekugel has the potential to overturn many a principle of the classical music scene” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
Maximilian recently conducted amongst others the Lüneburger Symphoniker, the Orchestra of the Czech National Theatre and the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim. In 2016, with the age of 20 years he founded the MUNICH CLASSICAL PLAYERS, a chamber orchestra consisting of professional musicians and advanced instrumentalists of German and Austrian Music Universities. Since then, every year several extraordinary concert projects are realized under his direction across Bavaria, inspiring new audiences and enthusing them for classical music. Furthermore, Maximilian is Music Director of both the Sinfonieorchester des AGV München as well as the Münchner Studienstiftungsorchester.
Maximilian’s interpretations attract great attention and he is praised by the press as a conductor “who distinguishably bridles to not adorn himself with the glamour of popular classical music hits but rather earns tribute for his special interpretations. In doing so he is credibly suggestive of being an artist for whom every personally shaped music is a fulfilment that he shares with his musicians” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
Maximilian received his first conducting tuition at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich. Later he studied orchestral conducting at postgraduate level at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Michael Seal, Edwin Roxburgh and Daniele Rosina and at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with B. Tommy Andersson. Additionally, he took part in various international conducting masterclasses throughout Europe led by Jorma Panula, Ulrich Windfuhr, Douglas Bostock and others. Since October 2023 he is scholar of the Akademie Musiktheater heute of the Deutsche Bank Foundation. He has received scholarships from the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and the Bavarian Elite Academy. In 2018 he was awarded the Culture Prize of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. In 2021 he was a quarter finalist at the 3rd Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition in Budapest. In 2023 he took part in the final round of the 2nd Llíria City of Music International Conducting Competition in Spain.
Maximilian is a rather versatile and curious conductor. His repertoire ranges from the baroque period to contemporary music including several first performances. He is particularly keen to explore less known repertoire and has conducted works by amongst others Anton Adam Bachschmid, Louise Farrenc, Joachim Raff, Paul Hindemith and Kurt Weill. In addition to his conducting studies, he also completed a full degree in musicology at the University of Munich focusing on the music of Beethoven, Wagner, Mahler and Strauss.