Rainer Kussmaul
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Short description|German violinist and conductor}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Rainer Kussmaul
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|06|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mannheim, Germany
| origin = Germany
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|03|27|1946|06|3|df=y}}
| death_place = Freiburg, Germany
| occupation = Conductor
| instrument = violin
}}
Rainer Kussmaul (3 June 1946 – 27 March 2017) was a German Grammy Award-winning violinist and conductor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestrad.com/former-berlin-philharmonic-violinist-rainer-kussmaul-has-died-aged-70/2255.article|title=Former Berlin Philharmonic violinist Rainer Kussmaul has died aged 70|website=The Strad|accessdate=22 November 2021}}{{cite web | last=Eggebrecht | first=Harald | title=Rainer Kussmaul ist tot | website=Süddeutsche.de | date=29 March 2017 | url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/klassik-rainer-kussmaul-ist-tot-1.3441864 | language=de | access-date=22 November 2021}}{{cite web | title=Zum Tode von Rainer Kussmaul – Inspirierender Geiger und Lehrer | website=Deutschlandfunk | date=6 July 2018 | url=https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/zum-tode-von-rainer-kussmaul-inspirierender-geiger-und-100.html | language=de | access-date=22 November 2021}} Kussmaul was born in Mannheim and studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart.{{cite web | title=Trauer um Rainer Kussmaul: International gefeierter Geiger mit 70 Jahren gestorben | website=BR-KLASSIK | date=30 March 2017 | url=https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/rainer-kussmaul-geiger-gestorben-100.html | language=de | access-date=22 November 2021}}{{cite web | title=Former Berlin Philharmonic Concertmaster Rainer Kussmaul Has Died | website=The Violin Channel | date=31 March 2017 | url=https://theviolinchannel.com/rainer-kussmaul-violinist-berlin-philharmonic-died-obituary/ | access-date=22 November 2021}} He was professor in Freiburg, first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic and led the Berliner Barocksolisten. He died in Freiburg at age 70.{{cite news |last=Hanssen |first=Frederik | title=Der Neugierige | website=Der Tagesspiegel | url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/zum-tod-von-rainer-kussmaul-der-neugierige/19588114.html | language=de | access-date=22 November 2021}}{{Cite web |date=2017-03-29 |title=Mannheimer Geigensolist von Rang |url=https://www.mannheimer-morgen.de/kultur_artikel,-kultur-mannheimer-geigensolist-von-rang-_arid,1019412.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=www.mannheimer-morgen.de |language=de}}
Family and Early Life
Rainer Kussmaul, one of three brothers, received his first violin lessons from his father Willy Kussmaul who was solo viola in the orchestra of the National Theater Mannheim.{{Cite web |last=Rundfunk |first=Bayerischer |date=2017-03-30 |title=Trauer um Rainer Kussmaul: International gefeierter Geiger mit 70 Jahren gestorben {{!}} BR-Klassik |url=https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/rainer-kussmaul-geiger-gestorben-100.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=www.br-klassik.de |language=de}} After studying in Mannheim and with Ricardo Odnoposoff at the Stuttgart State University of Music and Performing Arts, Rainer Kussmaul soon won prizes in international competitions, both as a soloist and with his co-founded Stuttgart Piano Trio from 1968, the year of its founding, to 1997.{{Cite web |title=Stuttgart Piano Trio |url=https://www.naxos.com/Bio/OrchestraEnsemble/Stuttgart_Piano_Trio/33933 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=www.naxos.com}}
Teaching
Due to his talent he was also a popular music professor. Since 1977, he worked as a violin professor at the Freiburg Hochschule für Musik, preferring to teach the Baroque style.{{Cite web |title=Hochschule für Musik Freiburg: Der große Geiger und Lehrer |url=https://www.mh-freiburg.de/hochschule/allgemeines/aktuelles/details/der-grosse-geiger-und-lehrer.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=www.mh-freiburg.de}} Among his students were Petra Müllejans, Gottfried von der Goltz, Daishin Kashimoto, and Jermulai Albiker. Later, in 1987, he was appointed director of the Academy in Baden-Baden.{{Cite web |last=Musica |first=Solo |date=2017-10-29 |title=Rainer Kussmaul |url=https://solo-musica.de/rainer-kussmaul/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Solo Musica |language=de-DE}}
Awards and Honors
- 2005: Grammy Award for Bach cantatas recording{{Cite web |last=2017-03-28T00:00:00+01:00 |title=Former Berlin Philharmonic violinist Rainer Kussmaul has died aged 70 |url=https://www.thestrad.com/former-berlin-philharmonic-violinist-rainer-kussmaul-has-died-aged-70/2255.article |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=The Strad |language=en}}
- 2010: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 2012: Reinhold Schneider Prize from the city of Freiburg im Breisgau
- 2017: Honorary citizenship of the Italian city of Sessa Aurunca
References
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Category:Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany