Hochschule für Musik Detmold

The University of Music Detmold (German: Hochschule für Musik Detmold) is one of Germany's leading university-level schools of music, situated in Detmold, Germany.

The Hochschule offers performance degrees in composition, all orchestral instruments, piano, voice, opera, art-song, conducting, as well as degrees in church music and music education. Artistic Music Production - 'Musik-Tonmeister' - is also offered at the .

In 2007 there were 594 students matriculated, plus an additional 22 junior students. The Hochschule offers about 300 concerts per year. The present Director is Professor . In 2008 he was re-elected to a further appointment. Associate Directors are professors André Stärk and Norbert Stertz. Hans Bertels was appointed Chancellor in May 2007. In December 2006 the Hochschule für Music Detmold Foundation was formed to help finance extraordinary activities. An Alumni Association was founded in October 2006, present chairman is Prof. Martin Christoph Redel.

After initial planning that started in 1944, the Hochschule was founded in 1946 as Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie Detmold. In 1956 the name was officially expanded to Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie Detmold, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik. After the Hochschule in Münster and Dortmund were officially merged with the Detmold Hochschule, the name was changed again in 1972 to Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Westfalen-Lippe. Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie Detmold, with campuses in Münster and Dortmund. In 1987 the present name was given: Hochschule für Musik Detmold. In 2003, the Münster campus separated and became the Musikhochschule Münster and part of the Westfalian Wilhelms University of Münster. The Dortmund campus was closed in 2004. The first director was Professor from 1946 to 1959. The second director was Dr. Martin Stephani from 1959 to 1980. Stephani was also professor of conducting and conductor of the Hochschule Orchestra.

The Hochschule has ten specifically equipped buildings at its disposal, which are arranged as a campus in and around the imposing Palais Gardens: string-players, wind-instruments, singers and percussionists have their own buildings; pianists and organists reside in the historic palace, where rehearsals and concerts for larger chamber music groups also take place. The musicologists work in an Art Nouveau building at the outskirts of the gardens, whereas music-education students and future music teachers hold their academic seminars in the technically excellently equipped Pädagogikhaus.

Also at the fringe of the campus, opera students may use the historic Sommertheater, to gain concert experience and the taste of a fully staged opera performance. The is built directly onto the large concert hall, which lies in the shadow of magnificent trees. The concert hall is equipped with a unique spatial audio rendering technique (Wave Field Synthesis). About 180 artists and teachers as well as the many national and international partners work at the Hochschule, laying an optimal foundation for the musical education of their students. Students from Detmold are very often found among prize-winners in competitions. They are represented not only in the contemporary classical music scene in all important opera houses and orchestras, but also work worldwide in prominent positions as teachers in universities, academies and music schools.

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