Helmut Franz

Helmut Franz (1911 – 30 January 2002) was a German academic teacher and conductor who was known particularly for his work as a choral conductor. He was the director of NDR Chor, based in Hamburg, from 1966 to 1987, focused on a cappella music and contemporary classical music.

Career Franz was Kapellmeister at the Hessisches Landestheater in Darmstadt and lecturer at the Akademie für Tonkunst there, when he became director of the NDR Chor, the choir of the broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) based in Hamburg. He succeeded Max Thurn who retired at the end of 1965.