Erik Sohn, who grew up in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, studied music and German language and literature in Cologne. After completing his master degree (Staatsexamen), he took up vocal studies in Dortmund with Prof. Berthold Schmid. Alongside his classical studies, he began rehearsing and coaching vocal ensembles, a cappella bands and choirs in the pop and jazz field.
His work as a concert singer has led him to engagements in Germany, other European countries as well as in Israel, Korea and the USA. In the field of contemporary music, he has performed with the Ensemble Modern Frankfurt, the ensemble Recherche from Freiburg and the KlangForum Heidelberg.
In popular vocal music, Erik Sohn works as a coach, arranger and composer. He has been a lecturer in this field since 2006 and has been Professor at the Cologne University of Music and Dance since 2011. Together with Stephan Görg, he has directed the pop-jazz choir ‘Vocal Journey’ in Köln. He is also the initiator of the annual January festival for popular vocal music ‘voc.cologne’, which takes place every January and has hosted almost all well-known national and international a cappella groups such as Voces8, Swingles, Real Group, New York Voices, King’s Singers, Wise Guys, Maybebop. He also performs in the Festival himself.