Composer · Multi-instrumentalist · Berlin
ThorstenQuaeschning
Musical Director of Tangerine Dream
Picture Palace music · Film scores
Bioscope (Steve Rothery / Marillion & Thorsten Quaeschning / Tangerine Dream, feat. Alex Reeves / Elbow) · Schiller × Quaeschning · Quaeschning & Schnauss
“Everything is subordinated to music itself—production, technology, even performance decisions.”
Thorsten Quaeschning · 15 Questions
01News
Current work, releases and life on the road.
Three concerts on the US West Coast
Pioneertown, San Francisco and Portland — three nights with Tangerine Dream and three new real-time compositions.
Photos & video ↘Gentō
The debut album by Steve Rothery and Thorsten Quaeschning, featuring Alex Reeves on drums.
Listen / order ↗02Concerts
Upcoming concerts with Tangerine Dream.
On stage
01
Halle (Saale) DE
⌖ Georg-Friedrich-Händel Halle
Tangerine Dream · Continuum Tour
Details ↗02
Norwich UK
⌖ Epic Studios
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗03
Manchester UK
⌖ Albert Hall
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗04
Glasgow UK
⌖ St Luke’s
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗05
Bristol UK
⌖ Trinity Centre
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗06
London UK
⌖ indigo at The O2
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗07
Kraków PL
⌖ ICE Kraków
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗08
Warsaw PL
⌖ Progresja
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗09
Gdańsk PL
⌖ Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka
Tangerine Dream · LEVEL Tour
Details ↗Stages & festivals
My favourite 50 venues
50 venues and festivals
Royal Albert HallLondon · United Kingdom
London AstoriaLondon · United Kingdom
Kentish Town ForumLondon · United Kingdom
Union ChapelLondon · United Kingdom
Barbican CentreLondon · United Kingdom
The London PalladiumLondon · United Kingdom
RoundhouseLondon · United Kingdom
Picture HouseEdinburgh · United Kingdom
Coventry CathedralCoventry · United Kingdom
Cambridge Corn ExchangeCambridge · United Kingdom
Liberty HallDublin · Ireland
TempodromBerlin · Germany
Zitadelle SpandauBerlin · Germany
ElbphilharmonieHamburg · Germany
LaeiszhalleHamburg · Germany
Alte OperFrankfurt · Germany
Night of the Prog FestivalLoreley · Germany
E-Day FestivalEindhoven · Netherlands
A38 ShipBudapest · Hungary
Müpa BudapestBudapest · Hungary
Teatro Dal VermeMilan · Italy
Todays FestivalTurin · Italy
Place des ArtsMontréal · Canada
Ottawa BluesfestOttawa · Canada
The Town HallNew York · United States
Union TransferPhiladelphia · United States
Lincoln TheatreWashington, D.C. · United States
The WilternLos Angeles · United States
Regency BallroomSan Francisco · United States
The Get DownPortland · United States
Neptune TheatreSeattle · United States
Commodore BallroomVancouver · Canada
Danforth Music HallToronto · Canada
The Vic TheatreChicago · United States
Izu FestivalIzu · Japan
AC HallHong Kong · China
Le TrianonParis · France
Le Rocher de PalmerCenon · France
Shepherd’s Bush EmpireLondon · United Kingdom
St Luke’sGlasgow · United Kingdom
De RomaAntwerp · Belgium
Ancienne BelgiqueBrussels · Belgium
Palais 12Brussels · Belgium
ParadisoAmsterdam · Netherlands
EffenaarEindhoven · Netherlands
Rockefeller Music HallOslo · Norway
Sentrum SceneOslo · Norway
CirkusStockholm · Sweden
VegaCopenhagen · Denmark
Miasto OgrodówKatowice · Poland
03Music & releases
Selected solo work, soundtracks and collaborations.
Sound in motion.
Electronic composition between structure and chance: sequencers, modular systems, piano, drums, guitars and music created in real time.
Bioscope
Bioscope
Steve Rothery (Marillion) & Thorsten Quaeschning
Gentō · featuring Alex Reeves (Elbow) on drums
Gentō — Listen / order ↗More Bioscope photos
Film archive
Films & soundtracks
Selected documentary and soundtrack work.
Documentary
Letters from Libya
Soundtrack written by Thorsten Quaeschning.
Film and soundtrack ↗RBB · Documentary
Krieg im Kopf
Soundtrack written by Thorsten Quaeschning.
RBB archive ↗Film project
Remnants
Soundtrack written by Thorsten Quaeschning.
Film and soundtrack ↗Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Cargo
Soundtrack written by Thorsten Quaeschning.
Soundtrack ↗Documentary · Original soundtrack
Allah weiß, dass ich schwul bin
Soundtrack written by Thorsten Quaeschning.
Film details ↗Video game music
Grand Theft Auto V
Tangerine Dream’s original score for Rockstar Games.
2013 · Rockstar Games
The Cinematographic Score
Tangerine Dream contributed to the original score for Grand Theft Auto V, together with Woody Jackson, The Alchemist and Oh No.
Official score information ↗Selected video
GTA V pause-menu theme
A video reference to the music created for the game’s pause and menu environment.
Watch video ↗Interview
How I Got That Sound
Thorsten discusses the GTA V score and the sound world behind it.
Read interview ↗Preset design & production
Sound design
Instruments for which Thorsten Quaeschning wrote or produced presets.
RolandSystem-8 · JD-XA
WaldorfQuantum · Iridium
PWMMantis
MoogPreset design and production
Manikin ElectronicMemotron
Selected collaborations
Across musical worlds
Projects with artists from electronic, progressive and contemporary music.
Jean-Michel Jarre · Tangerine Dream
Zero Gravity
A collaboration with Jean-Michel Jarre for Electronica.
Project information ↗Brian May · Queen · Tenerife
Starmus — Sonic Universe
A special concert collaboration in Tenerife with Brian May and Queen.
Ulrich Schnauss · Thorsten Quaeschning
Synthwaves
A collaborative electronic album by Quaeschning & Schnauss.
Listen ↗Schiller · Thorsten Quaeschning
Schiller collaborations
Illuminate, Morgenstund and Summer in Berlin.
Bioscope
Steve Rothery (Marillion) & Thorsten Quaeschning, featuring Alex Reeves (Elbow) on drums
The Bioscope project and Gentō.
Bioscope website ↗Chart highlights
Schiller · Morgenstund (2019) · with Thorsten QuaeschningDeutschland #1 (15 Wochen in den Charts)
Schiller · Summer in Berlin (2021) · with Thorsten QuaeschningDeutschland #1
Schiller · Illuminate (2016) · with Thorsten QuaeschningDeutschland #1
Tangerine Dream · Raum (2022)UK Dance #1 · UK Independent #6 · UK Sales #14 · UK Physical #15 · Scotland #19 · UK Downloads #22 · Deutschland #39
Tangerine Dream · Quantum Gate (2017)UK Progressive #7 · UK Dance #18 · UK Albums Update #61 · UK Sales #64 · UK Physical #57 · Scotland #80
Tangerine Dream · Night Trains & Cityscapes (Record Store Day, 2026)UK Singles Sales #73 · UK Physical Singles #34 · UK Vinyl Singles #31
Tangerine Dream · 50 Years Of Phaedra — At The Barbican (2026)UK Scottish Albums #21 · UK Albums Sales #18 · UK Physical Albums #16 · UK Progressive Albums #1 · UK Rock & Metal Albums #1 · UK Independent Albums #8
Tangerine Dream · From Virgin To Quantum Years — Coventry Cathedral 22 (2025)UK Scottish Albums #33 · UK Albums Sales #39 · UK Physical Albums #32 · UK Progressive Albums #7 · UK Album Downloads #12 · Deutschland #94
Tangerine Dream · Recurring Dreams (2019)UK Albums #81 · UK Scottish Albums #84 · UK Albums Sales #86 · UK Physical Albums #81 · UK Independent Albums #28 · 1 chart week each
Gentō · Bioscope (2025)UK Rock & Metal #5 · UK Progressive #4 · UK Independent #13 · UK Independent Album Breakers #3 · Scotland #38 · UK Sales #42 · UK Physical #43 · UK Downloads #59
Electronica 1 · Jean-Michel Jarre (2015)UK Dance #1 · UK Record Store #6 · UK Vinyl #11
04Film / Video / Photo
Selected moving images and photographs.
From the archive
From the archive
Interviews & conversations
15 selected links
Fifteen Questions Interview with Tangerine Dream
Read interview ↗Thorsten Quaeschning & Ulrich Schnauss on keeping Tangerine Dream alive
Read interview ↗The Tangerine Dream journey continues
Read interview ↗Thorsten Quaeschning — Interview
Read interview ↗How I Got That Sound: Thorsten Quaeschning
Read interview ↗Thorsten Quaeschning with Alex Kozmidi
Listen ↗Thorsten Quaeschning with Helge Sorg
Listen ↗Podcast: Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream
Listen ↗Three Questions with Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning
Read interview ↗Tangerine Dream with Thorsten, Hoshiko & Paul
Read interview ↗We’re Always Recording: Tangerine Dream Talk New Music
Read interview ↗Thorsten Quaeschning, Tangerine Dream / Bioscope / Picture Palace Music
Listen / watch ↗Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream
Listen ↗Tangerine Dream: Returning To Their Original Core
Read interview ↗Thorsten Quaeschning about production, technology and creativity
Read interview ↗
05Biography
Berlin · Since 1977
Composition is architecture in time.
Thorsten Quaeschning is a Berlin-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and Musical Director of Tangerine Dream.
Raised in a classically trained musical family, he learned violin, flute, piano and drums before turning his attention to electronic instruments, studio production and composition.
He founded Picture Palace music in 2003 and joined Tangerine Dream in 2005. Edgar Froese appointed him Musical Director in 2013. Today he leads the band together with Hoshiko Yamane and Paul Frick, continuing its music as a living, contemporary form.
Alongside Tangerine Dream, his work includes solo sessions, film scores and collaborations with Steve Rothery, Ulrich Schnauss, Schiller, Harald Grosskopf, Franz Bargmann and other artists across electronic, ambient and progressive music.
Tangerine DreamPicture Palace musicBioscopeFilm scoresReal-time composition
06Contact & booking
Collaborations · Soundtracks · Concerts
Start a conversation.
For professional enquiries, composition, collaborations and solo projects, use the artist contact on Bandcamp. Tangerine Dream concert and booking enquiries are handled through the official band office.
▣ Records · Downloads · Selected editions