Karl-Heinz Steffens
{{short description|German clarinetist and conductor (born 1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Karl-Heinz Steffens
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| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|11|28}}
| birth_place = Trier, Germany
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| occupation = Conductor
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| instrument = Clarinet
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Karl-Heinz Steffens (born 28 November 1961) is a German clarinetist and conductor.
Biography
Steffens studied clarinet from 1982 to 1985 at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart with Ulf Rodenhäuser. His first professional engagement was as a clarinetist at the Staatstheater Kassel. He subsequently was principal clarinetist in the orchestra of Oper Frankfurt (1985–1989), in the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1989–1996), and the Berlin Philharmonic (2001–2007), in addition to maintaining a solo career.
From 2009 to 2018, Steffens was music director of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz in Ludwigshafen.{{cite web|url=http://www.staatsphilharmonie.de/en/the_orchestra/chief_conductor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091057/http://www.staatsphilharmonie.de/en/the_orchestra/chief_conductor|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2015|title=Karl-Heinz Steffens, chief conductor|publisher=Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz|accessdate=1 August 2009}} Steffens and the orchestra recorded commercially for the Capriccio label.{{cite news | title=Zimmermann: Alagoana; Symphony in One Movement; Photoptosis; Stille und Umkehr CD review – taut and enigmatic | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/04/zimmerman-alagoana-symphony-in-one-movement-photoptosis-cd-review | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=4 September 2014 | accessdate=10 June 2024}}{{cite news | title=Ginastera: Variaciones Concertantes; Ollantay; Bomarzo Suite, etc review – a timely portrait | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/11/ginastera-variaciones-concertantes-ollantay-bomarzo-suite-etc-review-a-timely-portrait | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=11 November 2015 | accessdate=10 June 2024}} During his tenure, the orchestra received such honours as the ECHO{{cite web|url=http://www.echoklassik.de/klassik-ensemble-orchster-des-jahres-2015|title=Echo Klassik Prize Winners 2015 Ensemble/Orchestra of the Year|publisher=Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V.|accessdate=18 October 2015|archive-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081937/http://www.echoklassik.de/klassik-ensemble-orchster-des-jahres-2015|url-status=live}} award for Best Orchestra in 2015 for their recording of works by Bernd Alois Zimmermann.
Steffens was music director of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet from 2016{{cite web|url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/de8e5e_3eea699673354d54990f1aafd60ce09e.pdf|title=Press release from the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet|publisher=The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet|accessdate=11 December 2015|archive-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222125942/http://media.wix.com/ugd/de8e5e_3eea699673354d54990f1aafd60ce09e.pdf|url-status=live}} to 2018. In 2017, Steffens announced his intention to stand down early from the Den Norske Opera and Ballet post, owing to conflicts with then-incoming artistic director Annilese Miskimmon.{{cite news | url=https://www.nrk.no/kultur/musikksjefen-i-operaen-onsker-ikke-a-fortsette_-_-umulig-a-samarbeide-med-den-nye-operasjefen-1.13488394 | title=Musikksjefen i Operaen ønsker ikke å fortsette: – Umulig å samarbeide med den nye operasjefen | work=Norsk Rijksringkasting | author=Pedja Kalajdzic | date=25 April 2017 | accessdate=11 January 2020 | archive-date=10 May 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510085807/https://www.nrk.no/kultur/musikksjefen-i-operaen-onsker-ikke-a-fortsette_-_-umulig-a-samarbeide-med-den-nye-operasjefen-1.13488394 | url-status=live }} He concluded his tenure with Den Norske Opera and Ballet in 2018.
In February 2019, the Prague State Opera announced the appointment of Steffens as its next music director, effective with the 2019–2020 season.{{cite web | url=https://operaplus.cz/karl-heinz-steffens-momentalne-jsem-stastny-clovek/ | title=Karl-Heinz Steffens: Momentálně jsem šťastný člověk! | work=Opera Plus | author=Vojtech Babka | date=2 January 2020 | accessdate=11 January 2020 | archive-date=2 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102201614/https://operaplus.cz/karl-heinz-steffens-momentalne-jsem-stastny-clovek/ | url-status=live }} In October 2019, the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Steffens as its next principal conductor and artistic advisor, effective with the 2020–2021 season.{{cite press release | url=http://www.norrkopingssymfoniorkester.se/en/news/news/karl-heinz-steffens-new-principal-conductor-and-artistic-advisor-at-son | publisher=Norrköping Symphony Orchestra | title=Karl-Heinz Steffens new Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor at SON | date=3 October 2019 | accessdate=7 January 2020 | archive-date=11 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111164432/http://www.norrkopingssymfoniorkester.se/en/news/news/karl-heinz-steffens-new-principal-conductor-and-artistic-advisor-at-son | url-status=dead }}
References
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{{succession box | title=Chief Conductor, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz | before=Ari Rasilainen | years=2009–2018 | after=Michael Francis}}
{{succession box | title=Music Director, Norwegian National Opera and Ballet | before=John Fiore | years=2016–2018 | after=Edward Gardner}}
{{succession box | title=Music Director, Prague State Opera | before=Andreas Sebastian Weiser | years=2019–present | after=incumbent}}
{{succession box | title=Principal Conductor, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra | before=Michael Francis | years=2020–present | after=incumbent}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Steffens, Karl-Heinz}}
Category:German male conductors (music)
Category:21st-century German conductors (music)
Category:German classical clarinetists
Category:21st-century German clarinetists
Category:20th-century German male musicians
Category:21st-century German male musicians
Category:Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Category:Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin