Martin Christoph Redel

Martin Christoph Redel was born on January 30, 1947 in Detmold as the son of the flutist Kurt Redel and the pianist Erika Redel-Seidler. He studied percussion with Friedrich Scherz and composition with Rudolf Kelterborn, Giselher Klebe, and Johannes Driessler at the Northwest German Music Academy (today’s Detmold University of Music). He then continued his studies at the Hanover University of Music with Isang Yun. In 1971 he began working as lecturer in music theory and ear training at the Detmold University of Music, and in 1979 was appointed professor of composition.

In his role as rector of the Detmold University of Music from 1993 to 2001, Redel also served as chairman of the Rector’s Conference of German Music Academies and vice president of the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC). From 1992 to 2004 he was also president of Jeunesses Musicales Germany, which went on to appoint him honorary chairman and on whose behalf he taught composition courses for young people at Weikersheim Castle for more than forty years.

Martin Christoph Redelʼs works have been performed worldwide in renowned concert halls such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Gewandhaus Leipzig, and Musikverein Wien under conductors such as Matthias Foremny, Karel Husa, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and Christoph Poppen. Chamber ensembles including the ars nova ensemble (Nuremberg), Scharoun Ensemble (Berlin), and The Boston Musica Viva have given premieres of Redel's works, which have also been interpreted by soloists such as Rudolf Buchbinder, Thomas Quasthoff, and Karlheinz Zöller.

Photo: private archive