Born in 1955, JOHANNES CERNOTA began taking piano lessons at the age of five. Between 1974 and 1982 he trained to become a concert pianist under Luciano Ortis, Günter Ludwig and Kurt Seibert at the music academies of Bremen and Cologne. From 1980 to 1982 he was an assistant instructor for piano at the University of Bremen, then at the University of Oldenburg until 1994. In 1982 and 1983 he was also employed as a tutor for the municipal theatre company of Bremen.
JOHANNES CERNOTA has been performing on stage in Germany and abroad since 1975. In addition to his work as a musician and composer he is a painter. His artworks have been shown in numerous exhibitions in his home country and elsewhere since 1979.
In collaboration with the cellist Thomas Beckmann of Düsseldorf, he recorded compositions by Charlie Chaplin for JARO in 1986 (OH! THAT CELLO, JARO 4125-2). This was the first recording ever released of the musical works written by that great American actor/director, who was also an excellent cellist. In 1984 CERNOTA went on to record an album of solo piano pieces by Erik Satie, appearing in 1986 under the title JOHANNES CERNOTA PLAYS ERIC SATIE (JARO 4186-2). An LP including his own compositions and works by Satie, Chick Corea and Arvo Pärt followed in 1988 (SPARTA, JARO 4136-2).
