Born in
Eschenhausen,
Lower Saxony, Schirmer studied at the
Bremen Conservatory, and also at the
Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, with
György Ligeti,
Christoph von Dohnányi and
Horst Stein. He worked as an assistant to
Lorin Maazel and conducted at the
Wiener Staatsoper productions of
Luciano Berio's
Un re in ascolto,
Arnold Schoenberg's
Erwartung, and
Alexander Glazunov's
Raymonda. From 1988 to 1991, Schirmer was
Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the city of
Wiesbaden, serving as artistic director of symphonic concerts and opera and ballet at the
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. He conducted Hans Werner Henze's
Das verratene Meer in 1990. In 1999, he conducted the premiere of
Gerd Kühr's opera
Tod und Teufel at the
Grazer Oper. His other work in opera has included conducting the first staged production of
Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna by
Walter Braunfels, at the
Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2008. Schirmer was appointed Professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg in 2000, teaching musical analysis and musical dramaturgy. From 2006 to 2017, he was chief conductor of the
Münchner Rundfunkorchester (Munich Radio Orchestra). From 2009 to 2022, Schirmer was General Music Director (
Generalmusikdirektor, GMD) of the
Oper Leipzig. On 23 March 2011, Schirmer was elected
Intendant of the Oper Leipzig, with an initial five-year term beginning in August 2011, in addition to his title as GMD. He conducted the first Bayreuth staging of Wagner's early opera
Die Feen in 2013. In June 2017, Oper Leipzig announced the extension of Schirmer's contract as
Intendant through the 2021–2022 season. Schirmer stood down from both Oper Leipzig posts at the close of the 2021–2022 season. Outside of Germany, Schirmer was Principal Conductor of the
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1995 to 1998. ==Recordings==