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Florian Helgath appointed Professor for Choral Conducting

21 March ’24

The University of Music and Theatre Munich (HMTM) is appointing Prof. Florian Helgath to a half professorship in choral conducting from 1 April 2024. Florian Helgath will be responsible for students aiming to become professional choral conductors (Bachelor and Master).

Prof. Florian Helgath, himself an alumnus of HMTM, commented on his appointment: »It is a great feeling and an honour to be appointed to this renowned university. I’m really looking forward to meeting the students and to many great moments with extraordinary music. Bringing together the voice as the most natural and intimate instrument of all instruments to form a body of sound with others is a wonderful task and a great honour at the same time.«

The appointment of Prof. Florian Helgath to the artistic professorship of Choral Conducting (Bachelor/Master) is part of a reorganisation of the Choral Conducting department at HMTM. The artistic training of students in choral conducting, for example for professional concert choirs, will be separated from the artistic training of church music students in future. This will also involve a reorganisation of the vocal ensembles at HMTM, such as the university choir or the church music choir.

Prof. Florian Helgath
Foto: Christian Palm

Florian Helgath is regarded as one of the leading choral conductors of the younger generation. As artistic director and conductor of Chorwerk Ruhr and the Zürcher Sing-Akademie, he moulded both ensembles into top international choirs at the highest level, both with a cappella music and in the choral symphonic field. From 2009 to 2015, Florian Helgath conducted the Danish Radio Choir in Copenhagen and was conductor of the Via Nova Choir in Munich from 2008 to 2016. He has conducted numerous world premieres with this ensemble and has been honoured with national and international awards.

Florian Helgath is a regular guest with the RIAS Kammerchor, Bavarian Radio Choir, Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, MDR Rundfunkchor, Netherlands Radio Choir, Choeur de Radio France, Flemish Radio Choir, SWR Vokalensemble, Hungarian Radio Choir, Vocalconsort Berlin, Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir and the New Israeli Vocal Ensemble. He has also worked with orchestras including the Bochum Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, WDR Funkhaus Orchestra, Munich Symphony Orchestra and many more. In the field of historical performance practice, he has realised projects with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Orchestra La Scintilla of the Zurich Opera, Concerto Köln, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and the B’Rock Orchestra. His extensive discography includes numerous award-winning albums.

In October 2020, Florian Helgath was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne. His passion for teaching is also evident in his masterclasses and coaching sessions, including for the German Music Council’s Conducting Forum.

Florian Helgath gained his first musical experience in his home town with the Regensburger Domspatzen and later at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich. His most important teachers include Michael Gläser, Stefan Parkman and Dan Olof Stenlund, who had a decisive influence on his development as a conductor. Further important steps in his career have been international successes as a prizewinner at competitions such as the Eric Ericson Award 2006 in Sweden, the Competition For Young Choral Conductors 2007 in Budapest and the Bavarian Radio Choral Conductors’ Forum 2007.

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