Philipp Pelster was born in Germany in 1984.
He studied organ and church music at the University Mozarteum Salzburg. He then went on to study at the Hochschule für Musik, Basel in 2008 with Martin Sander. In 2010, he graduated with the Master’s degree in organ. Further studies in musicology at the Hochschule für Musik, Karlsruhe and the University of Salzburg led to an additional Master’s degree.
In 2014 he received his doctoral degree from the Hochschule fur Musik, Karlsruhe. His thesis concerns Max Reger’s pupil Hermann Grabner (1886-1969), an influential German music theoretician.
Since 2013 he has been working as a lecturer in musicology at the Hochschule für Musik, Karlsruhe. In addition he was appointed as teacher for organ/improvisation for the Archdiocese of Salzburg in 2014. Furthermore he coordinates all organ building, restoration and refurbishment projects in the Archdiocese. During winter term 2021/22 he teached Orgelkunde 1 and Orgelpflege (organ maintaining) at the university of music and performing arts in Vienna. As from September 2022 he’ll be cathedral organist of Salzburg (Austria).