Gudrun Schröfel (born 1 February 1943) is a German

choral conductor Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duties ...

, conductor and academic teacher. She led choirs, namely the Mädchenchor Hannover, to competition successes and awards for recordings.

Life

Schröfel studied music pedagogy, conducting, voice and voice pedagogy at the

Musikhochschule Hannover A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

. She studied further with

Eric Ericson Eric Gustaf Ericson (26 October 1918 – 16 February 2013) was a Swedish choral conductor and influential choral teacher. Life and career He graduated from the Royal College of Music (''Kungl. Musikhögskolan'') in Stockholm in 1943 and we ...

and Arleen Augér. She first focused on concert singing in

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

s and

lied In Western classical music tradition, (, plural ; , plural , ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German, but among English and French s ...

er, and conducted choir and orchestra at a . She was appointed professor of music pedagogy, with a focus on conducting choirs and ensembles, at the

Folkwang Hochschule The Folkwang University of the Arts is a university for music, theater, dance, design, and academic studies, located in four German cities of North Rhine-Westphalia. Since 1927, its traditional main location has been in the former Werden Abbey in E ...

in Essen in 1985. She moved to the

Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media (german: Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, italics=unset, abbreviated to HMTMH) is a university of performing arts and media in Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. Dating ...

where she also served as vice president for thirteen years, until her retirement in 2012. She was conductor and artistic director of the

Mädchenchor Hannover Der Mädchenchor Hannover is a girls' choir of girls and young women, based in Hannover, the state capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. Girls and young woman between ages 14 and 20 perform a wide range of repertoire from Renaissance to contemporary m ...

from 1999, succeeding Ludwig Rutt. From 2017, she shared the position with in a time of transition until 1 January 2019. She has been leader of the Johannes-Brahms-Chor Hannover, a mixed

chamber choir A chamber choir is a small or medium-sized choir of roughly 8 to 40 singers (occasionally called 'chamber singers'), typically singing classical or religious music in a concert setting. (This is distinct from e.g. a church choir, which sings in rel ...

, from 2001. She initiated the composition of music for choirs of limited voice range (''gleichstimmige Chöre''). With the Mädchenchor Hannover, Schröfel received prizes and awards at national and international competitions, such as , the

EBU The European Broadcasting Union (EBU; french: Union européenne de radio-télévision, links=no, UER) is an alliance of public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who are members of the Co ...

competition

Let the Peoples Sing ''Let the Peoples Sing'' (known until 1964 as ''Let the People Sing'') is an international choral competition currently organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The final, encompassing three categories and around ten choirs, is offer ...

, the Internationaler Kammerchorwettbewerb Marktoberdorf and the Johannes-Brahms-Wettbewerb in Hamburg. The Johannes Brahms Chor won the Deutscher Chorwettbewerb with her conducting. In 2010, both choirs received the

ECHO Klassik The Echo Klassik, often stylized as ECHO Klassik, was Germany's major classical music award in 22 categories. The award, presented by the , was held annually, usually in October or September, separate from its parent award, the Echo Music Prize E ...

together with six other choirs from Hannover. She was awarded the Niedersächsischer Musikpreis in 1989, and received the

Lower Saxony Order of Merit The Lower Saxony Order of Merit (german: Niedersächsischer Verdienstorden) is a civil order of merit, of the German State of Lower Saxony. The order was established 27 March 1961. The order is presented in three classes, the highest is the Gra ...

in 2004. She has made more than 20 recordings. She was awarded the 2014 Niedersächsischer Staatspreis (Lower Saxony State Prize) in February 2015, and the in 2018.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schrofel, Gudrun German women conductors (music) 20th-century German conductors (music) 21st-century German conductors (music) German choral conductors Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover alumni Academic staff of the Folkwang University of the Arts Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover 1943 births Living people