Erdmann, Gunther (1939-1996) Germany

Apart from his education as a shoemaker in his father’s craft workshop, Gunther Erdmann received lessons in the subjects violoncello and piano at the Volksmusikschule (school for singing and music-making) of Weissenfels. After his (longer?) time as a piano accompanist with the Police Ensemble of the GDR, he began to study at the college of music (later named "Hanns Eisler") in Berlin in 1960.  Erdmann signed up for the main subjects choral conducting with Prof. Fritz Höft and composition with Jürgen Wilbrandt and Günter Kochan.
As a musical director, he took over the children’s and youth ensemble ”Music and Movement” in the House of Young Talents in Berlin after his studies (1966). With this ensemble, he performed in concerts from Tokyo via Moscow and Belgrade up to the Cuban capital of Havana.
Since his studying time, Gunther Erdmann has created a large number of choral compositions, but also orchestra music and soundtracks. Besides, his work was decisively influenced by folk songs. ”As simply as possible – as complicated as necessary” was a principle of his creative oeuvre.
For his work, he received, among other prizes, the Fritz Reuter Art Award, the Art Award of the GDR (1982) and the BBC Choir Prize in 1989.