Karlheinz Zöller
Encyclopedia
Karlheinz Zöller was a German flutist, and principal in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
between 1960–1969 and 1976–1993.
, near Frankfurt
, Westerwald
, Germany
.
He began his studies in Frankfurt and later studied with Kurt Redel
in Detmold
. While in Detmold, he met his wife-to-be Gertrud, herself a flautist studying under Hans-Peter Schmitz. After World War II, at the age of 17, he obtained a poistion in the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra. He had not yet attended college but the experience was invaluable. After engagements in Cologne
and Herford
, he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as solo flautist in 1960.`
Zöller and his wife became renowned as a teaching team and one of their students later recalled, "extensive technical training, especially from her, and music and tone, from him." Many of his former students later played with orchestras all over Europe or became music professors themselves; Roswitha Staege became professor of flute at the Berlin Arts Academy; Wolfgang Ritter became solo flautist with the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
; Maren Distel became a celebrated flautist as well; Michael Faust became solo flautist with the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester
in 1988 and professor at the Musik Hochschule in Düsseldorf.
, Diether de la Motte, Manfred Trojahn and Isang Yun
.
, Zöller was critically injured in an accident. The cab driver died and Zöller’s lung was pierced by a piece of metal. This severely limited his lung capacity and as a result he was replaced by James Galway
as principal flautist with the Berlin Philharmonic. However, he remained active as a chamber and solo player and maintained a busy teaching and concert schedule. Later, in the 1970s, he had an operation to reattach his non-functional lung. The operation was a success and Zöller regained his position as principal flautist with the Philharmonic, when Galway left to teach at the Eastman School of Music
.
Zöller died of cancer in Berlin
on July 29, 2005.
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The Berlin Philharmonic, German: , formerly Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester , is an orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. In 2006, a group of ten European media outlets voted the Berlin Philharmonic number three on a list of "top ten European Orchestras", after the Vienna Philharmonic and the...
between 1960–1969 and 1976–1993.
Early life and education
Karlheinz Zöller was born in Höhr-GrenzhausenHöhr-Grenzhausen
Höhr-Grenzhausen is a town in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a centre for the ceramic industry in the Kannenbäckerland with a professional college for ceramics, another for ceramic form, and many others, hence the nickname Kannenbäckerstadt .Together with the...
, near Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Westerwald
Westerwald
The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the River Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a part of the Rhine Massif...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
He began his studies in Frankfurt and later studied with Kurt Redel
Kurt Redel
Kurt Redel is a German flutist and conductor.-Early life:Redel studied flute, violin, conducting, and composition, as well music history and piano at the Breslau Conservatory...
in Detmold
Detmold
Detmold is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of about 74,000. It was the capital of the small Principality of Lippe from 1468 until 1918 and then of the Free State of Lippe until 1947...
. While in Detmold, he met his wife-to-be Gertrud, herself a flautist studying under Hans-Peter Schmitz. After World War II, at the age of 17, he obtained a poistion in the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra. He had not yet attended college but the experience was invaluable. After engagements in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and Herford
Herford
Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford.- Geographic location :...
, he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as solo flautist in 1960.`
Teaching
In 1968, Zöller was appointed professor at the Hamburg Music Academy, and later he taught at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin and at the Hamburg Music Academy.Zöller and his wife became renowned as a teaching team and one of their students later recalled, "extensive technical training, especially from her, and music and tone, from him." Many of his former students later played with orchestras all over Europe or became music professors themselves; Roswitha Staege became professor of flute at the Berlin Arts Academy; Wolfgang Ritter became solo flautist with the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
The North German Radio Symphony Orchestra is a German orchestra, the symphony orchestra of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk in Hamburg....
; Maren Distel became a celebrated flautist as well; Michael Faust became solo flautist with the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester
WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne
The WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne is a German orchestra based in Cologne. The orchestra was founded in 1947 by Allied occupation authorities after World War II, as the orchestra of Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunk . The orchestra later acquired the names of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra and...
in 1988 and professor at the Musik Hochschule in Düsseldorf.
New music
Zöller was a tremendous supporter of new music and commissioned flute concerti from several composers. These included new works by Siegfried MatthusSiegfried Matthus
Siegfried Matthus is a German composer and opera director living in Berlin and is one of Germany's most often performed contemporary composers.- Biography :Matthus attended secondary school in Rheinsberg, followed by studies at the Hochschule für Musik...
, Diether de la Motte, Manfred Trojahn and Isang Yun
Isang Yun
Isang Yun was a Korean-German composer originally from Korea. According to his official publisher's Boosey & Hawkes biography of him, he was granted political asylum by West Germany, eventually becoming a naturalised German citizen, following his abduction and torture in 1967 by the South Korean...
.
Personal tragedy
In 1968, while travelling in a taxi from the hotel to the concert hall in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Zöller was critically injured in an accident. The cab driver died and Zöller’s lung was pierced by a piece of metal. This severely limited his lung capacity and as a result he was replaced by James Galway
James Galway
- External links : IMGArtists.com 15 September 2008. AllAboutJazz.com 5 August 2008.*...
as principal flautist with the Berlin Philharmonic. However, he remained active as a chamber and solo player and maintained a busy teaching and concert schedule. Later, in the 1970s, he had an operation to reattach his non-functional lung. The operation was a success and Zöller regained his position as principal flautist with the Philharmonic, when Galway left to teach at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
.
Family life
After Gertrud's death, Karlheinz married Anna-Luise some years later. She had children and grandchildren from a former marriage and Karlheinz took them to heart as his own.Zöller died of cancer in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on July 29, 2005.