Rihm receives prize for his life's work
July 10, 2014
It's his work as both an author of music and a musically-minded author that earned the Karlsruhe composer and writer the prize, said the Academy of Arts and Literature in Mainz of its decision on Wednesday (09.07.2014). The conferral of the Schumann Prize, whose namesake also combined the roles of composer and author, will take place on November 6 in Mainz.
Wolfgang Rihm began studying composition with Eugen Werner Velte at the Karlsruhe University of Music while he was still in school. He further studied composition under Karlheinz Stockhausen and Klaus Huber and completed musicological studies with Hans Heinrich Eggebrecht. Rihm's work includes compositions for orchestra as well as chamber operas and works for musical theater. He has earned numerous prizes in the course of his career. Since 1985, Rihm has taught composition at the same university in Karlsruhe where he once studied.
Initiated in 2012, the Robert Schumann Prize is awarded every two years. The first winner was French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez. A second Robert Schumann Prize has been conferred by the composer's hometown of Zwickau since 1964 and is currently also awarded biennially.
dgp/gsw (epd / dpa / Karlsruher Rihm Center)