Born in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Stefan Schweigert began studying the bassoon with Alfred Rinderspacher and later studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover (currently the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover) under Klaus Thunemann. He has been Principal Bassoonist of the Berliner Philharmoniker since 1985. He is also a member of the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin. Schweigert has on a number of occasions worked with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and participated in Gidon Kremer"s Internationales Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus. He plays in the Bläserensemble Sabine Meyer, the Cappella Andrea Barca with Andras Schiff, and with the Berliner Baroque Soloisten. He also appears as a soloist with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
He served as a professor at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg from 2004 to 2006. Since 1987 he has been teaching at the Orchestra Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker and also teaches master classes worldwide. This is his fifth appearance at PMF since 2007.