Originally from Germany, Luis is the only musician in his family, picking up the trumpet early on. After coming to the North East to study music, he found himself drawn to the unusual sound of bagpipes.
“I just love the sound of it, and I even have my own at home – although I don’t really find the time to practice anymore.” His fascination for the British soundscape and culture started when he was 14 years old. Luis recalls watching Trooping the Colour on TV and being mesmerised by the British Army musicians. So much so that he emailed them to ask how he could possibly join. Of course, he was told that not only does he need to be 16, but also a British citizen. In the end though, this only deepened his ambition to study music in the UK. Eventually, Newcastle made him an offer, and the rest is history.
But something even bigger was on the horizon that even Luis hadn’t seen coming. During a visit to Edinburgh, he found himself surprised “that a cultural capital like Edinburgh didn’t have at least one symphony orchestra.” The city – and an idea – stuck with him. Few months later, a conversation with renowned conductor Robert Ames gave Luis the final nudge: “He told me to get my own group of players together.”
And so he did.
Capella Edina was born with a clear mission to make classical music more accessible and reshape how audiences engage with it. “We always try to have a programme with an overarching topic, in which we include a more famous piece, a lesser known one or a commission, but also a more relatable piece”, Luis explains.
“Our opening concert was called ‘Inspiration’ and showcased how film composers are inspired by classical compositions. So, at the end we had music from Star Wars, but the concert started with Bruckner’s Sixth Symphony and Korngold’s Kings Row Fanfare.” Luis believes in showing how classical music connects to what they already love rather than relying on theory or historical footnotes.
He’s not just conducting, but also challenges assumptions about classical music itself. “I think as musicians we have a duty to educate the audience,” he says. “It’s a very closed industry. You only see the final result, never the process.”
Capella Edina aims to open those doors for future generations. Their programmes are one thing, but the orchestra is also partnering with Edinburgh schools, giving students free access to rehearsals and performances. “We really want to become part of music education,” Luis says, “not just this outside organisation that appears there once and never returns.”
Luis is also outspoken about the way classical music can be perceived. “There’s this stigma that it’s only for a certain class or educational background – which is complete nonsense”, he says. “You just need access.”
He further highlights how a line needs to be drawn between music and the music industry. It is a fact that music will always be a part of our cultural heritage and tradition, and the industry values it when it can be monetised. “We shouldn’t focus on supporting the industry per se, but supporting the higher goal of it all, which is preserving and advancing at the same time,” Luis affirms.
This is exactly what fuels Capella Edina – an orchestra that doesn’t just look to preserve the past, but looks to push classical music forward. Luis Schmidt isn’t just studying music here in Newcastle, he’s helping reshape how it’s heard.
Capella Edina’s next concert takes place on 26 June in Usher Hall, Edinburgh.