I am Tillman Duft, born in Cologne. My musical journey began with percussion before I specialized in guitar. I won several competitions, including Jugend Musiziert (2011, 2017), and studied under Ja-min Oh (Aachen), Sotiris Malasiotis (Cologne), and Arina Bönhoff (Freiburg).
Growing up in Cologne, I was strongly influenced by the city’s music scene. Concerts by artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Paco De Lucía, Simon Rattle, and the Berlin Philharmonic, as well as electronic music by Zedd, shaped my musical development. Ofcourse also by all the Karneval-bands 🙂 I started composing at the age of nine, formed a rock band with Felix Schneider, and produced my first orchestral works on an iPad before transitioning to professional music software.
After completing my school exams with a focus on music, I studied musicology in Freiburg, specializing in composition, counterpoint, and music theory. My interest in the relationship between music and perception led me to pursue a master’s degree in systematic musicology with a focus on psychoacoustics. In 2022, I completed my studies and in 2023, I began a degree in Music Design. Since then, I have worked on short films, as well as production and mixing for pop bands and large orchestras.
In September 2022, I contributed to the production and mastering of Soul Atlas, an international multimedia project in Lisbon. Through my network of composers, musicians, studios, and directors, I am active in various creative fields.
Since late 2024, I have been working at the sound and music agency Klangerfinder in Stuttgart, continuing my work in composition, sound design, and production.
