Karl-Heinz Steffens

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. Steffens and the orchestra recorded commercially for the Capriccio label. During his tenure, the orchestra received such honours as the ECHO award for Best Orchestra in 2015 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. 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. 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.